The Thousand Year Curse
by 1SuperKawaii
Summary: Sarah is linked with Jareth through the past. The real story of the princess is told.  Old enemies, curious friends, and a sixteen year old Sarah trying to deal with an amorous king and High School.
1. Chapter 1

Expect this to be a long story. A bit of everything will be thrown in, again this is for your entertainment, so no complaints. Either enjoy it or don't read it.

Summary: Sarah's involvement with the goblin king a thousand years ago and a thousand years later. Will he be able to convince her in time to go with him, will an ancient rival win her instead? Will her human friends mess everything up? Lots of folklore. Drama, romance, a little comedy.

Part 1 The Princess And The Goblin King, The Real Story.

In the time of kings, when feudal lords ruled the lands, and people had very well defined places in the world, a bored princess with raven black hair waited, and she waited, and she waited, and she waited. She didn't know what she was waiting for, but she was waiting none the less.

Little was interesting in her life. She would rise early and be told what to do, she would attend the morning mass followed by a few hours with a tutor. If she was lucky she could find time to walk in the garden, or go to the forest in the far reaches of the palace grounds. The only nightly solace she took was watching the large white owl which would perch upon the willow tree by her window.

Once in a while she would sneak out of the castle. It was especially easy when there were visitors or something important was happening. It seemed people had less time for her then. She could see the tip of a waterfall from her window on clear days and she would ride out to that very waterfall and relax by the river banks making daisy chains and breathing the fresh air. But those days were too few.

She was bored of her life and secretly she would wish on the biggest star in the sky for something to make her life worth living. For the stories she loved so much to come true. This girl was able to read and the castle library held many books bound in leather, gold and handwritten by the scholars of the time. Most of the books were various bibles and religious writings. Some however were dark tales of foreign kingdoms. Tales of little people and illusive creatures and of underground beings that only came out at night.

"Do not trouble yourself with such fanciful books. They will only deter you from the kingdom of heaven." her tutor would say.

To which she would nod her head and sneak out another over sized book to her room. Every being in the stories had a king, even the feared goblins. Those were beings that played tricks, stole children and switched them with changelings or so she was told.

When she was a child, her handsome and beloved uncle, the grand duke, traveled often to the northern and western lands and would return with stories of the small beings who hid from humans and played tricks on them. She loved when he would visit, for he had tales of the most fanciful ungodly beings of the old religion.

"Uncle, please tell me about the goblins." she asked as they sat in front of the large fireplace.

"Well little princess, they live in a land under the mountains. They mine treasures, the like we have never before seen. Gold and jewels abound. And they are ruled by a great king. His name is Gwyn ap Nudd." he told her animatively.

"Tell me about him? Tell me about the king. Is he like father?" she asked eagerly, urging him to continue.

"They say he has the power to move stars, a winter king who is the bearrer of light. He also has an unknown power over time. They say he comes above ground to steal children. Especially when someone wishes the child away. It gives him full power over the wisher. The child goes away never to be seen again."

"What happens to the child?" she asked very attentively.

"No one knows. Some say it is turned into a goblin, others say they are given to the farae people or other little people to raise as their own."

"What do you think the king looks like?"

"He is ancient for one of his species. A half bread goblin, fey. In the east he is said to be a short hairy goblin in silver armor. In the north he is said to look like a man. In our land he is said to be black faced. All agree that the hair on his head is fair and wild."

"I hope I can meet him. I'll bet he's so much fun. I think I wish only to marry the goblin king. " she said twirling in the large room making her uncle laugh.

The wish did not go unnoticed however, Deep in the underground a new and young king heard her wish and it peaked his interest. He took out a crystal and looked at the wisher. She was just a small child, a very pretty child who would undoubtedly grow into a beautiful woman. But for now she was far to young to play with and he was busy with his new duties to his kingdom.

"That is a strange request. Are you not afraid?" her uncle asked.

"Nope, I'm not afraid of anything. I'm a princess….I wonder what he would be like? Do you think he's good or bad?"

"I hear he is a trickster, a magician, and a master of disguise. If you were to meet him you would never know who he was. He could be among us as we speak."

"What else! What else!"

"Well they say he comes above ground and tricks people. One time he is a beggar and if he isn't given alms, he sends his goblins to torment those ungiving souls who did not give him charity. Another time he came as a stranger and set his goblins on those who turned him away from their homes. I also hear that at night he turns into a large owl or blackbird, fly's into little girls rooms…. and….. Gets Them!" he yelled making her jump.

"Oh uncle." she said and they laughed.

She would listen to these stories for years and years from her favorite uncle, until he died, taking much of his knowledge of the under lands with him. When he passed she was at the age she could be married. The very same year her father had remarried the sister of the king of a neighboring kingdom and a year later the birth of a son stripped the princess of any chance to have an important place in the kingdom or any choice of nobles for a husband.

She was angry, she was used to being the only child. She missed her mother who had long ago disappeared never to be seen again. No one would tell her the truth about her mother, but she knew, over hearing some of the servants, that the woman had run away with a traveling band of gypsies when she met a young man and fell in love. The princess had resented everyone after finding out that information. Her absent father, her run away mother, the death of the only person she ever felt cared about her and she grew with the feeling that no one else would ever love or care for her.

'Everyone leaves me.' she thought to herself. Then she would wish on the brightest star in the sky. 'I can't trust anyone and I can't stand being here oh how I wish something would happen so I could leave this horrible place. I swear I will only marry the goblin king and not whomever they chose for me.' she said in a vow to herself.

"I will not leave you princess." a mysterious voice said.

"Who are you? Show yourself."

"Why I am Greidawl and I am here to keep your company." the handsome man appeared.

"How did you get in?" she asked not taking her eyes from him.

"Why no one can see me but you."

"Why do you come to me spirit?"

"I'm no spirit. But I wish only to be your friend. I can show you great magic. Do you like magic?"

"Yes. I want to see." she said her curiosity overcoming her fear.

"Good." he said and started a few tricks of light.

A month passed and Greidawl and the princess became secret friends. Something inside of her made her fear his intentions but she never let on, it didn't matter if he was the devil himself or an angel, he was the only person to pay her any attention and offer friendship.

"But why don't you like to talk about the goblins? They are so interesting and my uncle used to tell me about them all of the time." she said.

"They are heinous creatures of great evil, and their king the most evil of them all. He once forcibly stole the fiance of his rival and made her his. Then drove his rivals son to insanity to which he never recovered and finally threw himself into a river."

"That's horrible!" she exclaimed.

"He had committed many more atrocities. He was a great archer, I'll give him that but with that talent he killed many innocents. They say a goblin will live until it is killed by iron and it is a truth."

"He sounds horrible but what more do you know of him?"

"You are too fascinated with such a being. You should stop making wishes unless you want to join him in the darkness. The season draws to an end and I must soon go, let us not talk about such unpleasant things."

"But why must you go?" she asked wanting to hear more.

"The summer draws to an end and I can not stay when the chill in the air begins. But do not fear I will return when the winter is done."

"I shall miss you terribly." she said to her sole companion.

"Will you wait for me?" he asked.

"I will, gladly."

"Then I shall return and claim you as my wife when the snow melts."

"But…"

"Are we not friends? Would you rather marry a brutal mortal? You are of age and I give my declaration of intention. Farewell until next year." he said then disappeared, leaving her confused and scared of the idea of marriage.


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

It happened the princess went out in her carriage on a particularly warm winter day to see how the new cathedral was coming along. It was led by a horseman and two guards who traveled behind. The streets were made of dirt and the people dirtier then the ground. She passed the food stands and stalls selling already half rotted fruit and vegetables. The smell of burning meets and horse meneuer filled the air. Flies circled around the meat that hung off of shoddy planks. The smell was rancid and she wondered how people lived that way. They traveled a bit farther to where the large church was being finished.

She spotted a very interesting and strikingly handsome looking man doing tricks for the children of the village out in front of the cathedral. He was obviously a foreigner and magician by the way he was dressed in tight brown leather pants and a frilled white shirt, definitely not a gentlemen but strangely regal and self assured. He was probably a traveling gipsy or other untrustworthy foreigner she had been warned so many times about. The guard counseled her against stopping but she did not care and she insisted on stopping to watch his tricks.

She watched him from her carriage as he juggled glass balls flawlessly. She was captivated by his fluid movements in his manipulation of the objects. He watched her from over his shoulder with a large grin as he pulled out another and yet another orb.

The light reflected from the spheres bent into every color and a beam shone in her eyes. As if in a trance she did not move as he walked over to her still moving the glass orbs making each disappear until there was only one.

"Good afternoon my lady." he moved the orb as her eyes continued to follow it back and forth.

"Step away from the carriage charlatan." the guard ordered.

"I am here simply for her ladies entertainment." he pulled out a second orb and each rolled over his fingers.

"Please I want to see." she said to the guard not removing her eyes from the shining glass.

"What does her lady fancy? Perhaps she likes lilies." he turned an orb into the flower. "Ah no for such a lovely girl, a rose." the flower turned from white to red and he handed it to her.

"Tell me magician, what is your name?" she asked getting trapped in his strangely colored yet very expressive eyes, the air of danger about him made him all the more interesting and her body began to heat.

"Jareth, my princess." he said with a flourished bow.

She was very amused and interested in him. "You are a stranger here, where are you from?"

"I am no stranger to this land, although I have not been summoned… to court… for a long time. As for where I am from, well I am from here, from there, from a far away land."

"But from where? What is it like to be somewhere not here?"

"So curious a mind. Ah well, it is a great kingdom. The weather is always temperate, the moon is a crystal sphere in the vast sky, but it can be tricky to get to the castle. It's a bit of a maze. The people there are not much different from those here…..perhaps a bit shorter." he said jovially.

"So you are from one of the Southern kingdoms? Italy? Do you know any stories? I will pay you for stories." she said eagerly.

"What kind would my lady wish to hear? Perhaps a love story?" he leered.

"No kind magician, do you have any stories about goblins, or the farae people of the dark and frozen north or savage East?"

"As you wish my lady. I know many. Enough to fill several lifetimes." he said exciting her.

"Please tell me. I wish to hear them all. No one wants to talk about them."

"You have come to the right person with your request, my lady."

"Tell me about the kings and queens and the people and what they do. I want to know everything about them."

"Well you see far, far away, the greatest of kings, the king of the goblins, who had just ascended the throne from his father, happened to find himself bored so he went looking for a wife. There was a curse and prophecy about a girl, a beautiful princess who would make a wish. The king had found himself in love with her as soon as he first saw her through his crystal years ago. But at that time she was too young to claim. He spent many hours watching her, as she listened to stories about his people and she wished many times to marry only him. She was still too young then, but now she is ripe for the picking. He has given her certain powers over him and even as we speak , he has begun courting her."

"Tell me more about the prophesy which is also a curse" she urged.

"It spoke of a princess that the goblin king would meet and fall in love with immediately. He would have to convince her to come with him to the underground before her seventeenth birthday, if he was unable, he would lose his heart and she would have to gain it back for him and he would not get another chance to be with her for a thousand years."

"That long… wow. So his heart would go with her and she would have to help him get it back."

"Yes she would have to return it to the center of his being through a vast maze. That is how underground magic works." he said.

"But that's so romantic that he would get another chance. I hope he can convince her. A thousand years is a long time to wait. Do you think he would wait?"

"I believe he would wait for all eternity. There is however on problem."

"What is it?"

"Well you see, in order for him to have her she has to make a wish."

"What kind of wish."

"A very simple wish, nothing of any consequence…she has to wish herself away to the goblins."

"Can someone truly be wished away to the goblins?" she asked.

"Anyone under seventeen may wish themselves away to the goblins, or they may choose to wish away another,…. an enemy,…. a loved one."

"What happens to those who are wished away?"

"Oh many different things. Some become goblins, some become other creatures, others remain human. The one thing they have in common is they never again come to the aboveground."

"What if someone is wished away, by mistake?"

"You see precious, the king of the goblins is the betting sort. He may choose to wager on a game of chance or he may not."

"Oh what kind's of games does he play?"

"How do you feel about a mazes?" he gave a sneer.

"Your highness we really must be getting back to the castle." the head guard said.

"Jareth the magician, It was a pleasure. I wish to see you again soon. There is so much I want to ask you about the goblins."

"Your wish is my command, my lady." he said with a bow as the carriage pulled away with her looking back until she could no longer see him.

She was intrigued to say the least. His mismatched eyes captivated her and so did his crooked smile. She was unable to stop thinking about him. He would appear in her dream continuing his tricks and attempting to seduce her but then he would be too far away. She saw herself in a huge maze wearing strange clothing and did not know which way to turn, she only knew she would find him in the center. Then she would wake.

Two weeks after her meeting she was told she would have to be married. A husband had been chosen for her. She was very upset about the situation but no one would listen to her pleas or yells. The only one she could complain to was her maid.

"My princess I am sorry there is nothing I can do. You will have to marry your step mothers nephew." the maid said.

"But I do not want to, do I not have any say in my life? I hate him, he's so old and fat and I hear he is cruel and mean. He sent his last wife to her death because he got tired of her. He's so horrible. How could they do that to me?"

"It is a favorable marriage."

"If I were king I could marry whoever I wanted. It's because I'm a girl."

"That is just our lot. You should be happy to be a woman. You do not have to do battle and you may use your time at leisure. You can bare many children for him, they will be a comfort to you. You can also devote your time to God. Perhaps if you pray for patience it will be granted."

"Pray, all I have done is pray and this is what has been granted to me! I'm done praying, it's always been so pointless. He has forsaken me. None of my wishes ever come true. When he returns, the spirit, he says he will claim me as his wife in the spring. I don't think he's going to be happy about the situation. I'd rather marry him. If I can hold the wedding off until then I can go with him to his realm and never have to set foot in this castle again."

"Please do not speak of such devils miss, or you will put us all in danger of losing our souls. The one you keep speaking of is an affliction of the mind or the devil himself come to drag you to the underworld." the maid said sending the girl into a fit of anger.

"My stupid baby brother will be king. I hate him. I hate them all." she yelled. "It's all his fault, if he hadn't been born they wouldn't have had a choice but to keep me here and I wouldn't have to marry that disgusting man." she spent the rest of the night crying to no avail and a white owl looked on through the window.


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

The next day the princess hid from her tutor. She needed time alone to think about things. There was little more they could do to punish her anyway. She needed to think about what she should do about her fate. The man she was to marry was indeed the most wretched of people, and she wondered if death would be a better option. She was very deep in thought when she heard a voice startle her.

"Princess you look upset." Jareth said approaching the princess who was sitting under a window in the hallway.

"Magician you are forbidden to speak to me without chaperone. We shall get into trouble." she said looking around but feeling happier then she had in a while.

"I can keep a secret if you can precious." he pressed his finger to her lips and she did not recoil like a proper girl should as it sent a shiver down her body she did not understand.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came for the entertainment of the royal court. And you?" he said.

"I'm getting married." she said forlornly hanging her head.

"And I take it you're not happy about the arrangement?" he squinted his eyes.

"I haven't any choice." she stomped like a three year old that didn't get it's way.

"You always have a choice." he said, his eyes like a fox.

"You don't understand because you're a peasant. It's all her fault, ever since my brother was born. I wish….I wish…." she seemed determined.

"Yes." his body tensed at hearing the words but she never finished.

"Oh never mind what I wish. I promised to marry someone else and when he returns there's no telling what he will do."

"Who is this other lover?"

"He came to me one day and I know you wont believe me but no one else can see him. He's sort of magic. He came during the spring but has to leave at the end of summer. To where I don't know, but he says he will make me his wife and take me there when the Summer next ends."

"But you do not know this being well, it may be advisable to stay away from such a creature. I sense danger for you if you do not." he said.

"It'll be better then marrying the one they have chosen for me. My life is such a mess. I sometimes think he is a demon and will come back to kill me if he finds I have married someone else. But it will still be better then their choice. I can't think about it now. You have been employed to entertain. So entertain. I need to get my mind off of things. Tell me more about the goblins especially the goblin king. I thought he just abducted people. Can't he just take a bride like in the stories?" she looked up at him, unsure why she was so interested or what she was really feeling with his body sitting so closely to hers.

"No he can not. She can not be married or touched by another man. A bride must also be willing. It is a very important part of the magic. She must accept his offer and wish herself away. That is how it has always been. The women in my family have never been abducted." he held out an orb to her and as she reached for the orb it had become a sparkling necklace with a small crystal sphere. "Protection from the specter that wants you as his wife. Your choice of course."

She turned her back to him so he could place it on her. From his touch every hair on her neck stood on end. His hands were gloved but there was still an energy from the contact that ran through her, as he let his hands linger over her shoulders.

"It's beautiful. Your amazing…..I hope you have something to ward off human men. What do you think he….the goblin can offer the princess he courts?" she said in a soft voice as she let him stay close.

"It is not half as lovely as you, precious… Why he can give her love, of course." he whispered in her ear making her close her eyes and shiver with delight.

"Love?" she questioned like it was a foreign word and pulled away.

"Yes love for a good part of eternity." he waved his empty hand and a glass ball appeared. Before long he was doing all sorts of tricks. Her eyes fixated on the dancing lights being reflected.

"They get to marry for love? But she'll grow old and he wont." her eyes captured by the glow.

"Now precious people who live so long do not grow very old and neither do their chosen mates. It is part of the offer."

"Eternity? But that's such a long time."

"Not long at all. It goes by in a heartbeat when one is happy." he said with a crooked smile, as a voice called for her down the hall.

"Ugh that's my tutor. Do me a favor and don't tell him you saw me." she ran off down the hallway her grey dress flowing like her hair behind her.

"As you wish my queen." he said turning into an owl and flying out into the afternoon sky.

That night…..

"My lady where have you been hiding all day?" her maid asked.

"Helga, what do you find attractive in a man. I mean if you could chose and not marry because it was expected?"

"Well I don't right know my lady. My parents sent me to marry as soon as I turned thirteen. They needed the money and it secured me a job in the kitchen. I never had much of a chance to think about it. But I can see you've been."

"I think I'd like a man whose mysterious and…" the princess said dazing off into the moonlight.

"Are you talking about that ghost you see that claims he will return to take you away from here?"

"No not him. It's no one. Really it's no one." the princess said.

"Oh you're thinking about that magician you keep mentioning. Now you get that nave out of your mind. Up to no good that one is…has that look like the cat that just ate the canary. I know I saw him lurking around the castle earlier. He'll put all of our souls in jeopardy. All of those travelers are like that, that's why they aren't allowed to worship with us." the maid said.

"Now Helga you can't deny that crooked smile of his makes your body feel warm."

"My lady, a lady does not say such things." she smiled agreeing.

"And that look in his eyes, it's like he knows something we don't, like he has no fear, like he's so sure."

"He's arrogant. And for a peasant the only thing that gets you is executed." Now I mean it, you have to get him out of your mind. You are to marry a prince. You have a responsibility. If I may… a little secret from me to you…it helps to close your eyes and picture someone else."

"Helga!"

"You still have so much to learn." Helga said shaking her head.

She escaped the castle the next day to a small clearing in the woods next to a waterfall surrounded by many large boulders. It was a serene and green place. The sounds of birds and running water drowned out all of the noise of the neighboring village. She was only alone for a shot while when she was startled by a mans voice coming from no where.

"Princess, fancy seeing you here. Although the surroundings do suit you. You could easily be a water nymph." Jareth calmed her with his flattery.

"I am glad to see you." she said putting on a big smile.

"Are you?" he asked.

"Yes, I really wanted to see you again." She sat on a log and motioned for him to join her.

"You wish to hear more stories…about the goblins?"

"What does he look like? I've heard all sorts of different descriptions."

"Who?" he teased.

"The goblin king. You know, don't tease me." she said playfully.

"As you like…. He's a handsome chap. The most handsome chap in all of the lands, if I do say so."

"Is he a fair haired? Like you?" she asked.

"Why yes he is, it's a family trait."

"How old do you think he is?"

"Well now age isn't the same for him as it is for you. He may have lived many lifetimes but I do not believe he looks a day over twenty five." he said rubbing his chin.

"Is he hairy…does he look like a goblin?"

"No no certainly not. Where would you get such an idea? The goblin king is not the same species as those little rodents." he looked offended.

"Sorry. Then what is he?" she asked not knowing why she was apologizing or why he seemed offended.

"He may have some goblin blood but he is of a race of beings that create their own worlds. He wouldn't look much different then you or I, although I would say he was more attractive then the average human. You would be awed by his powers…if you are lucky he might let you see them."

"How do I get to see them?" she asked overly interested.

"Make a wish." he said.

"A wish? I wish…I wish I could see the goblin kings magic…. Do you think it will happen?"

"I am positive it will happen. Here for you. You must be hungry from your ride." he held out a peach.

"What is it?" her hand went for it automatically.

"A gift. It's the goblin kings favorite. A Persian apple. Go on." he urged her as she bit into the peach and after a few moments fell onto his lap.

"I feel so…everything is dancing….I…"

"You look tired precious, you should sleep."


	4. Chapter 4

I never like to keep my readers waiting long. I do like to hear motivational words, so do review. Enjoy.

Part 4

All had disappeared and she found herself in a grand Venetian ballroom done in a grandeur even she was not used to seeing. Crystals hung from the ceiling and rich fabrics covered large pillows in the corners.

It was confusing and she couldn't remember how she got there or who had dressed her in a strange and large white gown. There were many in masks dancing and laughing about. Her upbringing had kicked in and she gave a curtsey to some who had nodded to her or approached her.

She was looking for someone, but could not find him in the crowd. The party was a bit overwhelming but she relaxed as she moved through the crowd. But one dark haired male whispered in her ear. He told her to beware, his majesty had taken a fancy to her. She didn't like him so she moved away continuing to search for the man she had just spotted who fit the description of the king. He was elusive but she tried her best to get a look at him, then she did not see him anymore.

All at once she was in the arms of a man with a goblin mask. He had wild blond hair and she couldn't remember who he reminded her of, because she couldn't remember much of anything. Her only focus became the heat of his body as he danced with her so closely and scandalously. Not even knowing the steps of the dance, they had both fallen into perfect step.

He sung the sweetest song to her and she was lost in his presence. She thought it was odd when the clock behind them chimed thirteen and he placed a chaste kiss on her plump lips setting her body ablaze and she blushed bright pink. He began to move her away from where people were dancing toward a pile of floor cushions where they sat and he deepened his kisses and began to caress her arms.

"My lady, my lady, it is time to wake up." her maid said. "Oh my you do not look well, you are all flushed, maybe I should call for a physician" Helga said looking worried.

"I…I'm fine Helga. I had the most wonderful dream."

"Oh I see. Was it that magician again?" Helga asked helping her out of the bed.

"I don't know, I don't think so, it…it was the goblin king." she concluded.

"You're too obsessed with those stories for your own good. If your not careful the goblin king really will come to take you away. I hope you realize it was just a dream."

"It all felt so real. But it couldn't have been. I….wait how did I get here? I was out by the river and then….he gave me this strange fruit, then…"

"He oh my lady, you must stay away from lovers. You will have to go to confession today….. But I do not recall you mentioning anyone when you came in yesterday. Your father thanks you for joining him and the Cardinal for dinner last night." Helga said.

"Huh? Oh ok." she said not remembering and not wanting to appear crazy.

"I want to go out again today. Alert the stables that I will be riding after an early lunch."

"Very well." Helga said.

The princess didn't know why, but she had to be in the same place she met Jareth yesterday. She waited for him and started to feel stupid as he did not show up. After humming the song from her dream she began to sing it out loud.

"There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes…" she sung out loud with a twirl in the grass.

"…a kind of pale jewel…" he sung back to her taking her in his arms in a forbidden dance of closeness. He had come from nowhere.

"You startled me. I…I um.." she was reacting to the primal look of desire on his face.

"That does not answer my question… Do I make you nervous?" his face was inches from hers and she was taken by a sensation in her body even stronger then the one she felt in her dream.

"I do not get nervous." she said as he placed his arms around her and she shook with delight and uncertainty.

"My mistake. Have you come to hear more about the goblin king?" he was close to her lips teasing her.

"I…yes." she said looking at his lips hungrily.

"You seem to have developed an obsession, my love" he said amused.

"I don't know why but well…I saw him last night in my dream."

"Did you." he stated. "And was he to your expectations?"

"Yes, he was perfect, but I could not see his face, he was wearing a mask. He kind of reminded me of…of…of you. It's the silliest thing really, just a dream and I can't remember all of it."

"Do not underestimate dreams. Sometimes the world of dreams is more real then what you see, and it's king much more powerful then any that could be imagined here." he said.

"You say such things. The Holy Father John the fifteenth save us all." she said as a prayer of protection.

"You put your faith in such strange beings."

"You blaspheme sir. You will put us all into immortal peril."

"You should pay less mind to your lessons. I can assure you, there is little to concern yourself with"

"You tempt me like the serpent in the garden." she said not understanding where the closeness of their bodies was leading.

"Do I? Then I shall continue." he kissed her and in fear, she struggled but he did not relent to her and she finally gave in, kissing him back. Not noticing the time pass the kiss that deepened with every second lasted a very long time.

"This is wrong. I'll get into trouble. I'll be damned." she said fearfully.

"I can assure you your soul is safe. You will come away with me."

"I can not. I have to go." she felt guilty for wanting to go with him.

"Do not defy me. You belong with me."

"I…I can't. I am engaged. They expect me to be married to him."

"You do not realize what I am offering you." he pleaded.

"I have to go." she said mounting her horse and riding away, but regretting refusing him she said… "I'll be here tomorrow." as she rode away and Jareth smirked knowing he was one step closer to having her.

The next day she was there just as she had said. This time not as fearful and much more sure of what she wanted. She called for him and he again appeared as if from nowhere.

"You have to stop doing that or I may faint. I am expected back…well now. But they can wait." she said smiling at him.

"You are much stronger then you give yourself credit for. I doubt you would faint. I knew you would return to me." he said with a look of triumph.

"I could not stay away." she said and he took her into his arms and kissed her fiercely.

"You do not know how much it pleases me to hear you say that, love." he kissed her again. "All you have to do is choose your right words."

"What do you mean right words?" she looked confused.

"Well…tomorrow, love." he was cut off when a several horsemen came and he disappeared.

"There you are princess we have been looking for you. You are needed at the castle." the guard said.

She looked around and wondered how he managed to just pop in and out without anyone seeing how. It surly seemed like magic but she was told they were just tricks. She wanted to disappear too but she could not.

She arrived at the castle….

"What is this about? Where is my father?" she demanded.

"I am sorry he and the queen left on a journey to pay their respects to the new king of the Franks."

"What they just left and didn't tell me!"

"They did leave your brother here, my lady. They were sure you could see that he was taken care of." a man who wore dark blue adorned with gold said.

"My lady it has come to our attention that you may have been lured into the company of an unsavory character. We have already captured him and he is being executed as we speak." he lied.

"Kidnapping! I wasn't kidnapped. You have to stop, You cant do that to him. It's not how it happened. I went on my own. Please I command you to stop it at once." she yelled and pleaded, fearfully.

"My lady we have also been told to tell you that you are forbidden to leave the castle."

"What you can't forbid me. I demand to be taken to the dungeons right now! We have to stop the execution!"

"There is no point it has already been done. You are also to be restricted to the castle grounds until your wedding." he said and she nearly fell to the ground. Then she gained a bit of strength fired by her anger.

"What you can't do that. I have to go to him. Let me see him."

"My lady does not need to see a corpse."

"I hate you, I hate you all." she yelled tears filling her eyes.

"I am sorry my lady. Those are the orders. I was also told that if you give us any trouble you will be restricted to your rooms." he said as she was led to the staircase so she would go upstairs.

The princess was in a rage. Everything was falling apart for her. Her parents did not care on bit about her, only her brother. She had to marry a horrible man, another was going to come for her in a few months and drag her god knows where and she just realized she was in love with a man she barely knew and he was just executed because of her, because she asked him to see her. She stormed into her brothers room and ordered the nurses to leave, not knowing what she was going to do.

"It is all your fault. You're the cause of all of this. Now I can't even run away." she took it all out on the baby. "You wretched little goblin….goblin?…I wish…I wish…" she said, her eyes narrowing, her voice dripping with venom.

"She's going to say it.." a voice behind the wall said in a whisper.


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5

"It is all your fault. You're the cause of all of this. Now I can't even run away." she took it all out on the baby. "You wretched little goblin….goblin?…I wish…I wish…" she said, her eyes narrowing, her voice dripping with venom.

"She's going to say it.." a voice behind the wall said in a whisper.

"Shhh be quiet." a reply came.

"I wish the goblins really would come and take you away…right now!" she said kicking a toy on the floor then slamming the door as the baby cried.

Lightening crashed outside, and the baby that should have cried did not. None of the nurses or any sign of people were around so she went in to look on the boy after calming.

"Tobias?" she asked in the dark walking to the child's bed.

She was startled when a furry creature jumped out at her and she found several more all over the room. They laughed and she did not know what to do, only threw a pillow at one of them.

The window blew open and an owl flew in followed by a puff of smoke and glitter.

"Your him aren't you? I thought…"

"You thought I was a myth? A human? Really love, I expected more." Jareth said in his black baby taking attire.

"No. I mean I had a feeling that you weren't….human….. they said you were executed."

"I can assure you I'm quite well." he said frustrated with the situation.

"Where's my brother? Give him back." she demanded in a panic.

"What's said is said. There is nothing I can do." he said showing no empathy as was his personality.

"I want my brother back."

"Do you really? But look what I am offering you." he held out an orb.

"What is it?" she asked reaching out for the item but pulling away.

"It's not for an ordinary girl. It's your dreams. Everything you desire. Just as you wished and I offer it to you. Take my offer."

"I can't I have to get my brother back. He's just a baby. I didn't mean it."

"Didn't you? If you hadn't meant it, I would not be here. You made the wrong wish."

"Please you must give him back."

"They only did as you wished." he said.

"You're horrible, just like everyone else. You didn't mean any of what you said. You only wanted to steal my brother this whole time. That's what goblins do."

"If that is what you want to think. I am bound by the wish. By your selfish wish."

"Give him back now!" she demanded feeling betrayed.

"He is there, in my castle. I will give you thirteen hours to solve the labyrinth or your little brother will become one of us forever."

"It doesn't look that far." she found herself on a hill overlooking the kingdom.

"It is father then you think. Such a pity." he said disappearing.

He was angry. How could she say that it was his fault. He was bound by her wish. He was bound by every wish she could make because his heart was bound to her as well. Did she not see that there was nothing he could do? All she had to do was let the child stay with him and accept her dreams. All would be well. But she refused. The only other chance he could give that she would accept, was a challenge. He was very upset and angry with her but he had to make sure she won, then she would get her brother back and then he would explain things and ask for her to stay with him.

The labyrinth was huge and looked to be brand new. The grass around it was green and well kept. Flowers grew everywhere and lively vines crept up some of the walls. For this labyrinth was Jareth's and it changed with its ruler.

The princess found her way into the Labyrinth thanks to it's friendly gate keeper and gardener Hoggle. A worm helped her through the next part. She met many beings and solved many riddles along the way. Part of her grew up more and more with each obstacle that was before her. She started to understand that it was not the child's fault and that her brother may very well be the only person that cared for her.

She was very determined to find her way through the maze. With the help of those she met, those who were sent to help her, she made it easily to the castle in the allotted time, not realizing who was helping her from the shadows. When she arrived she was tired but was driven by her inner strength and determination to get the child back.

The princess stormed into the castle and confronted the goblin king.

"So you have made it." he sat on his throne waiting.

"Were you surprised. Did you think I couldn't do it? Like everyone else who thinks I'm a worthless girl? Well I made it here and I demand my brother back, now you goblin."

"Beware my princess, I have been generous up until now, but I can be cruel, and you try my patience."

"Generous! How can you dare call yourself generous?" she said and he got up.

"Everything that you asked I have done. You asked that the child be taken. I took him. I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you! I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me. Isn't that generous?" he said angrily.

"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered I have fought my way through the Labyrinth beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom as great." she said angrily like she was determined and standing up to a bully.

"Wait." he motioned noticing the clock was about to strike the thirteenth hour." I am offering you your dreams, anything you want. I only ask that you fear me and love me and I will be your slave, just do as I ask."

"Goblin king. You have no power over me." she said angrily. He had to send her back as she had won when the time had run out.

The princess was back at her castle with her baby brother. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as the nurses took him from her. She went to her room wondering if it was all a dream or a hallucination.

The next day she went to check on her brother as the four nurses sat around along with the princesses maids. The princess told the baby the story of the princess and the goblin king but modified to be simpler, as everyone listened attentively to the fairy tale.

"Where on earth did you hear that story?" Helga asked.

"It was just something I dreamed up." she said as her hand touched the necklace Jareth had given her before she wished her brother away. "I have to go somewhere." she said as she slipped out of the castle with the guards chasing behind her.

The princess went to the spot that they had met before but he was no where to be found. She called for him but he did not come. She found and owl feather and she realized then that it was not a dream, that it had been real, that he had been real, and that she would probably never see him again.

She was brought back to the castle to await her fate as the wife of someone she hated. As she thought about what had occurred over and over, she realized she was the one that wished the boy away and that he obliged her as was his duty. She felt sad and as the days passed she became more depressed until she no longer left her chamber.

The owl no longer came and perched on the tree outside of her window and she knew why, because in her quest to get her brother back, she had placed all of her anger on Jareth. She rejected him and he would not come to her again. Convinced he hated her, she could feel nothing but misery.

She remembered how they had kissed and the things he made her feel. It was such a short time but she was sure that no matter what he had done or who he really was, she was in love with him and longed only for him.

It was March and the time of the wedding neared and the princess did not look as well as she once did. She would no longer eat and she did not care for her health. Her fate was worse then death and there was nothing she could do to save herself.

"She had better be well enough for the wedding night. Not that, that will matter. Another year and she would be way too old for my tastes. Luckily we employ so many tasty girls." the prince said to his cousin the Earl who accompanied him to the castle of the princess.

"You should look her over. But you don't want to scare her, not so soon." the Earl laughed.

"I think I shall." the prince said entering the girls room and dismissing her maids.

"What are you doing in here get out now!" she commanded.

"Oh little wench. You will not speak to your lord that way. You will have to learn your place." he slapped her across the face and she fell back onto her bed.

"Don't come near me!" she yelled.

"I simply want to look you over. He ran his hands over her body. "You will bare fine children for me." he said as she began to cry. "Until later my dear. Oh and do be obedient or I will do to you what I did to my last wife." he said then left her, laughing at the innocent girl.


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks readers and reviewers. There is plenty more to this story and as always I'll continue to upload quickly.

Part 6

She hated his touch, she hated everything about the man and fell into the deepest despair. There was no help for her, the man would torture her in ways she did not comprehend and in her fit she went to the apothecary's room and took a blue vial from a box.

She ran for the stables and mounted a horse. Rushing out of the gates she went to the only place she had ever felt happy, even if it was only for a brief moment in her short life. The water fall never changed, even if it was night. It was a quiet and natural place, that made her feel free and free she was soon to be.

If only she could see him. To apologize. To tell him she didn't mean what she said. That if she had it to do over again she would have went away with him the first time he asked.

She called for him and called for him but he still did not come. Finally she tried the last thing she could think of, she made a wish.

"I wish Jareth the goblin king were here right now." she said and it wasn't long before he appeared. "You came. I didn't think you would come. I thought you never wanted to see me again." she said with tearful eyes.

"I assumed the same of you, but here I am. You wished for me, so I came."

"Jareth, I'm so sorry for blaming you. I know I was the one who made the wish. I was just so mad at everyone. I didn't mean it…..I…I love you." she said.

"Love, I hope you mean that. Because you are so very demanding. I do not wish to spend my time babysitting while you run my labyrinth again."

"I mean it and I am really sorry. I must have your forgiveness. It means everything right now." she said pleading and holding onto him weakly.

"Very well what's said is said. Say the right words and I shall make you my queen."

"I can not." she said.

"What? This again. What are you playing at? What did you call me here for then? Just for forgiveness? You are so cruel. and after all I have done for you and am still willing to do for you."

"You see I tried to see you but you did not come. I thought you would never come again. Then the prince I am to marry in three days arrived. The way he touched me made me want to…there was no way I could accept my fate." she held out an empty vial and it rolled off of her hand onto the ground.

"What have you done!" Jareth yelled as she struggled to stand and he had to hold her up.

"I haven't much more time. I just wanted to see you again…once more. I needed your forgiveness. I'm sorry I didn't wait, that I didn't trust in your love for me." he was holding her on the ground by this point and she was smiling up at him.

"No no this can't happen. It's not supposed to happen this way." he said, his voice pleading in denial.

"You once spoke of a prophesy which has now become a curse was it true?"

"Don't die. You're not going to die."

"Did you mean what you said?"

"Yes I will wait for you. Forever if I must. I will do anything to have you back."

"A thousand years is a long time."

"I will find you. I'll find a way to find you."

"I wish you knew where to find me in a thousand years." she said giving him all he needed to find her again. "Kiss me one last time." she asked and he obliged her.

Her body was found in her bed. Poison was suspected and they hid the fact that they thought she had killed herself, so she would have a proper burial. The evil prince she was to marry, spent the rest of his years locked in a tower. He was thought to be insane as he would keep saying that small creatures were tormenting him day and night.

Years passed. The goblin kings reign was not a happy one. He was lonely and thought about the princess who had left him so tragically, long ago. Parts of the Labyrinth fell into decay and others changed with his bad mood. The city became less orderly and a once happy Hoggle now feared the wrath of his king.

When the waiting had finally become unbearable, he took out some ancient and forbidden magic and used it to speed up time. It would all be worth it if he could see her again. He would not lose his chance this time.

He found the baby girl but he could not go to her. People of this new time did not believe in such things and it kept him trapped in his kingdom except for short periods during the winter. Unless she made a wish, the only way he could go out and watch over her all of the time, was in owl form and from crystals.

He watched her grow through the crystal. It was a cold winter day when Sarah's mother took her to Manhattan for to see the lighting of the big Christmas tree. She was very young and he lured the mother and child into an old second hand book store.

"Good afternoon. Please let me know if there is anything you wish for me to do for you." Jareth said, his hair slicked back and his dress plain.

"Thank you, well my Sarah here likes fairy stories." the woman said.

He turned his attention to the child. "She does, does she? Well what kinds of stories does my pet fancy? Handsome princes that sweep the princess away? Or perhaps a princess woken by a kiss?"

"No I want a book about fairies and and and…"

"Goblins?" he cut her off knowingly.

"Yes something about goblins and a princess."

"I have just the book for you young lady. It has been long out of print….A princess meets the goblin king." It appeared as if by magic, and watching her amusement he handed it to her with a flick of his wrist.

"Labyrinth. By Helga. This looks just like what I want. Mommy can I have it?"

"Sure sure. I don't know what we're going to do with her. She loves these kind of stories. Her uncle used to tell them to her. I'm afraid she thinks they are real."

"But they are real mommy. I saw a goblin in the park."

"Now what did your father say about making up stories?"

"They are too real. You know they're real mister. There's a goblin hiding in that corner, behind those books."

"Sarah, please!" her mother scolded.

"Of course they are real. Why he's a good friend of mine and he looks after you… There's no harm in one so young believing in such creatures. It is when they stop believing things become… uninteresting. My dear little Sarah, you must remember to always hold on to your dreams, they make life worth living." he said.

"I will. See mommy. Told you I saw one."

"How much do I owe you?" her mom said giving up.

"What do you think he's like?" Sarah asked.

"Who?" he asked.

"The goblin king?" My uncle said he steals babies." the girl said.

"I'm sure he's mighty fine chap and doesn't do it without reason. Nothing to worry about. I'm sure he would like you very much. But you would have to make a wish if you want to see him. It is very important for you to make a wish." he urged with a small ray of hope.

"I can't wait to read the story. I hope she marries the goblin king. I wish I could marry the goblin king."

"Oh Sarah, such thoughts. I'm so sorry." her mom said.

"No she's quite delightful. Keep making those wishes little one and some day you may be old enough to have them answered." he said to her.

The girl loved the story her mother read to her and she quickly learned to read herself. When her mother left to pursue her career as an actress and recapture her lost dreams, she left the book with the child who saw it as a sacred treasure. The years went by still, her mother sent her a statuette of a fairy man that she had the strong urge to buy when she came across it in her travels through Europe.

When she was eleven, her mother had visited with her new boyfriend, Jeremy for Christmas. Sarah did not know him but the man looked strangely familiar and he gave her a music box that played an eerie song no one knew the name of. The ballerina in the white dress danced atop the box and she played the song over and over. It was the second step he had taken to help her remember him and there were many more to come.

Little did anyone know that he had used her mother to get close to her, planting false memories into her so she thought they were dating and it was serious enough to introduce him to her daughter. Her mother did not stay with the man long and she could not remember that she had even dated him in the first place. The only picture being in Sarah's possession. But Sarah liked the man who was so kind to her and cherished the box and the post cards and small exotic trinkets that followed with each holiday.

Her father finally remarried to a woman Sarah hated. A baby soon followed and as she was now a teen, she was given the responsibility of watching the child. She resented the child, for because of him there was no way her parents would ever get back together. Because of him, that horrid woman would stay in her house forever.

Sarah had been sadly spoiled, given anything she wanted, to compensate for the divorce and lack of affection. But it did not satisfy her. No one had time for her, and her emotions ran wild. She wished only to be an actress like her mother, so she could run away, be free, and forget, just like she did.

The girl spent her time in the park by the lake. It was a calming and quiet place, an oasis from the busy town. She read and reread the book she had been given so long ago, and soon she was acting out the part of the princess every day. Her faithful dog Merlin took the role of the goblin king. She had become obsessed with the book and even slept with it under her pillow. Anywhere she could find information about goblins and other fictional creatures, she looked.

Sarah watched out of her window night after night. Things were always the same there. The houses across the street did not change. The neighbors arrived home the same time every evening. Even the owl that sat on the tree in front of her house was there night after night for as long as she could remember. Life was boring. She hated her school and did not find anyone interesting enough to make friends with. They were all trying to act grown up and all she wanted to do was to act out her plays and talk about mystical creatures.

Her only interest was in the fairly tales she loved so much. Those fairy tales kept her from dying of boredom. From the reality that she couldn't find a place in her world. From the fact that she knew she did not belong there and no one wanted to bother giving her time she so desperately wanted with them.

'Time' she thought to herself. 'If only someone would give me time. No one ever gives me any time. No one wants me around. The little time I had with my father is now gone thanks to that damn baby I have to watch yet again. No one cares about my time or what I want to do with it. I'm really getting sick of this.'

She sighed into the night making eye contact with the owl perched in the tree outside of her window. She said good night to the familiar bird before closing the window and going to sleep.

"I wish there really was a goblin king, Merlin." she said to her dog one day setting the events into motion. She had a white dress pulled over her clothes and practiced the book she had practically memorized once more.

Jareth watched and waited. It was only a matter of time before she would make a wish that would take her to him. He feared she would not wish herself away but her brother, and history would repeat itself. So he devised a plan to help her remember. Things would go much like they had before but he would only have thirteen hours to do so.

"….I always forget that last line….Oh no we're going to be late." Sarah said rushing home in the rain on the first day of Autumn.

As the events played themselves out once again Sarah wished her brother away.

"I wish the goblins really would come and take you away…right now." she said as the cycle of fate repeated itself.

"You're him aren't you, you're the goblin king?" Sarah said strangely unafraid of him.

Just like before he repeated the same things as he remembered them hoping the experience would help her remember.

"…I shall give you thirteen hours in which to solve the labyrinth or your brother will become one of us forever. Such a pity." he said his voice ringing in her head.

It took Hoggle a long time to recognize her. Years of living under Jareth's rule had made him focus only on what he was doing and when he realized she was the girl he met a long time ago, he was frightened. He did not know what the goblin king had planned or what he might do. But he knew she was the cause of his everlasting bad mood and his recent fouler one. He didn't want any part of whatever it was that was happening.

No one went into the labyrinth but she did. She didn't remember the way from last time but it was somehow familiar. Something told her she had been there before, in a feint and distant dream. But she could not stop to think on that, she only had a short time to get over her childish fears and get her brother back from the character in one of her favorite stories that had become real.

Then Jareth was there in the oubliette with her. She couldn't take her eyes off of him and something in her stomach made her body shiver, with what she didn't know.

"Tell me Sarah, how are you enjoying my Labyrinth?" he said seductively too close to her for her own comfort.

"It's a piece of cake." she said standing up to him but feeling way more intimidated then she let on.

The girls only focus became getting the child back from the evil king. Just as it had been written in the story. For the most part she believed she was dreaming and that she would wake up as soon as the play was finished.

Everything seemed familiar to her but she thought it was because she had read the play so much and imagined what the Labyrinth and it's king would look like. She did not realize that she had been there before and all of her toys, and a one very special book was given to her to jerk her memory. If she did remember she would know why it always felt so real, why she was so obsessed, and why it had always looked so clear.

Jareth bided his time and waited. He wanted her to remember him, that is why she was running his Labyrinth, that was why she had been influenced into wishing her brother away. It had been years in the making and now he had his chance with her once more.

He remembered every night she had dreamt of him. Every night he had come to her in her dreams. Her memory of him was so vivid but she could never see his face. He always wore a mask.

A tainted peach had taken her into a dream within a dream. The Venetian ball room seemed familiar as were the masked people dancing but she had forgotten why or how she was there. When she had begun to dance with the man who had removed his mask, she did not remember that he had taken her brother. It had been made for her, down to the detail of the last time they were there together.

They stared into one another's eyes longingly, like they had always known each other, like time had froze. But it did not and just as he was about to kiss her the clock chimed thirteen and she knew she had to leave for she was searching for something else. He was both saddened and amused that she had broken out.

Her determination had proven to be the same as it had been before, and she made it to the goblin city and after a small confrontation with the castle guard, she made it into the castle.

When it all came to an end and she had confronted the king, her only thought was to get her brother back from him. Everything he had said and done was to deter her, or so she thought. It all seemed like dejavu. She was not paying attention when she said the last line but at the end she instinctively reached out for the disappearing goblin king.

By winning she had returned the heart to him that he had lost so long ago and he was freed from the curse. But the prophesy still went on and if he was unable to get her again, history would repeat itself and it would become a curse and he would have to wait another thousand years.

When the night had ended and she woke in the morning she was sure it had all been a dream. The owl had left but came back three days later. Things had gone back to normal only she was more helpful around the house and instead of going to the park alone she took her brother Toby with her.

She had cleaned out all of her childhood toys and given them to the boy. Everything except for the statue of the being who strangely resembled the king in her dream who sat on her vanity, the music box that she took out of her drawer and placed on a shelf and the book she loved so much which sat next to the music box.


	7. Chapter 7 & 8

The little one has been in the hospital for a week. Things are looking better, so I thought I'd release another chapter.

...

When days were particularly bad she would play the haunting tune of the music box and it's song would caress her and she would smile again. For weeks she would dream of the Labyrinth, of the short time she spent with it's king and she would wake up in the middle of the night and tell herself it was all a dream and she needed to move on.

"If it isn't too much trouble can you put these boxes into the attic? I thought Toby was too young for them now." Sarah said to her father at breakfast.

"Sure Sarah. Oh and I'll be working late again today so I wont be able to help you with your project." her father said.

"It's fine, I'm almost done anyway…I think I'd like to redecorate my room. I thought you would like to help me with it since you've been talking about it for a while." she said to her stepmother.

"Yes I'd love too. Let's go shopping after school. You need new clothes too. Does this have anything to do with a boy?" her stepmother said energetically.

"No, I just thought it was time for a change." she said with her mind wandering to a man in her dream.

First she went on a date and a few group dates, which had pleased her parents, and she was friendlier at school and would even stay late to participate in school activities. Things had become easier but then her parents began to fight and soon neither were home very often and the family that she had started to take comfort in quickly dissolved.

She had come home from school on her sixteenth birthday very upset. No one, not even her parents bothered to wish her a happy birthday. Not even a post card from her mother. No one but one person. She found a box waiting for her with the mail.

It came from none other then Jeremy the man her mother dated for a few months. When she opened it she found a necklace that looked very old but very well made that had a small round crystal. She put it on and was happy for a little while that someone in the world, even if he was a complete stranger, remembered her.

There was never a return address and her mother had no clue where to find the man. She really wanted to thank him for everything over the years but she figured he probably traveled so much that he did not have an address to send anything to.

As night approached her parents came home very late. Their voices were loud and became louder when they entered the house. Toby was still with Sarah and she tried to calm the child as the yelling in the other room became too heated to bare.

Two days passed and Sarah was asked to join her family in the kitchen.

"We wanted to tell you this together so there isn't any confusion about the situation." her father said.

"What is it?" she asked confused and thinking she had done something wrong.

"Your step mother and I are getting a divorce." he stated.

"What! But you've only been married a few years, how, you can't. I've been better haven't I?" Sarah pleaded.

"Sarah this is not your fault. Your father and I have problems we can not work out and I think it best not to tell you about them. I have also been offered a job in New York so Toby and I are going…" her step mother said.

"Toby you can't take Toby!" she yelled.

"We realize how difficult this is for you but…" her father began.

"How difficult this is for me! Do you even care anything about me? You never did, you just got stuck with me."

"Now Sarah you can come and stay with us whenever you wish." her step mother said.

"You can't take him from me! I wont let you!" she stormed from the kitchen and locked herself in her room and sat at her vanity to cry.

"First they forget my birthday and now their taking Toby from me. Why does this keep happening to me? Everyone I love leaves me." she said to her reflection. "I wish…I wish…Oh Hoggle if you were only real. I need you right now."

"You called little lady." a voice came followed by Hoggle's image in the mirror.

"I…I thought you weren't real…a dream."

"Last time I looked I was real. What's wrong? Who made you cry?"

It took her a minute to remember what was happening. It was more of a shock at the moment that what had happened had not been a dream.

"I must be crazy."

"You look as sane as I am. Well sane enough." Hoggle said.

"She's taking him."

"Who?"

"My step mother, she's taking Toby far away. They're getting a divorce."

"I'm sorry to hear that Sarah. But what can we do about it? Does she have a labyrinth?"

"No. I don't know I'm just so upset. I don't know how I'll get used to it, being alone again. Toby is all I have."

"You still have your dad."

"No he works all of the time. He didn't even remember to wish me a happy birthday if that tells you anything about how much he cares about me. Even a complete stranger that I only met once remembered to send me a gift." she pointed to the necklace she was wearing.

"Where'd ye get that?" Hoggle said recognizing the item.

"From someone my mom dated for a few months. I met him and he was really nice. He's sent me gifts for years."

"Has he now?"

"Why do you ask? You're keeping something from me. Out with it Hoggle."

"I really can't say."

"Tell me." she demanded.

"Well it looked like something I made a long time ago for a girl."

"You never mentioned a girlfriend. I never even asked if you were married or not."

"'Course I got me a wife. I just don't recall where I put her. Anyhow I was asked to make it for a girl the king was interested in but that was over a thousand years ago. Looking at it closer I'm sure that's the same necklace."

"If your real, that means he's real too. It can't be a coincidence that it was sent to me. You know come to think of it…" she reached into her drawer and shuffled through some papers and pictures. "Here it is." she took out the one picture she had of Jeremy and her mother together.

"Yep just as I thought. It's him alright. I can see right through that disguise." Hoggle said.

"Him what do you mean him…..oh I do see the resemblance but there's no way it's him." Sarah said analyzing the picture.

"He's a master of disguise and even with the short hair and dull skin, I can tell it's him. I've know him long enough." Hoggle said.

"But how? Why?"

"That's just something you're going to have to ask him. It's not my story to tell."

"Hoggle, the story about the princess and the goblin king, Labyrinth did that really happen?"

"I don't reckon I know if it happened exactly like the story said, but a lot of it is true. That's why he had the book sent to you."

"But why?"

"Well you really do look like her. Although it was a thousand years ago and I could be wrong."

"Look like who, who are you talking about?"

"The princess in the story. You don't catch on too quickly do ye?"

"Are you saying I'm somehow related to the girl in the story?"

"I don't right know what I'm saying. All's I know is that when she left here, she left him in the most foul mood that's lasted as long as I can remember."

"So why did she leave him?"

"Doesn't it say in the book? She was supposed to wish herself away when he was courting her. But she wished her brother away instead. Didn't the book say that?"

"No it left that part out."

"Oh. Well how about the part where they fell in love but she had to marry a nasty prince?"

"Nope not in there either. What happened?"

"Well after she ran the Labyrinth she wished for him to come and see her before her wedding. She was very distraught. Took some poison and died."

"Oh my goodness. That's not part of the fairy tale."

"It's no fairy tale and there's no happy ending." Hoggle said.

"When was the last time someone ran the Labyrinth? I mean before me?"

"Well just her and ye. He made it so difficult for everyone else that they didn't make it passed the front gate and many take his offer for the child and others still, he didn't bother offering anything."

"Then he made it easy on me?"

"Yep didn't give ye anything ye couldn't handle. Only I didn't know it at the time. Just like with her. He never would have allowed yeto get hurt."

"It's all because I resemble someone else? I didn't realize he had another reason… I was the one who bothered him and wished my brother away."

"I guess ye should be thanking him, for giving ye a chance to get 'em back. He is bound by magic to take the children wished away. But he did give ye the power to make other wishes."

"Other wishes? I doubt it." she said.

"Try it and see."

"Yeah but even if I did, I must have lost the power when I refused to let him keep Toby."

"Was that what you thought he was asking you? You're so young, it makes sense. Well go on and try it out…wish for something."

"Well I never did get a birthday cake so I wish…I wish for a birthday cake to share with my friend Hoggle." She waited. "See it doesn't…Oh candles and all." the cake appeared in front of her.

"See it worked."

Sarah sat by her window night after night. She looked at the owl perched outside in a different light. It seemed like an ordinary owl but she stared at it for hours. She thought it was best to try to forget and move on. There was no way he would want to see her, even if it was to burry the hatchet. He was a king and she didn't want to bother him.

She wondered if what Hoggle said was true as she looked at the picture of Jeremy. There was a resemblance but it was just that and she couldn't get herself to admit that it might have been him all of this time showing her that someone out there cared for her.

"You need to like stop worrying about everything Sarah. If you stopped hanging out with those losers at the math club your social life would totally take off. You know there's like someone who likes you." Jessica the schools popular girl said in the cafeteria.

"Oh, well I don't know. I'm not really interested in anyone here." Sarah said flipping through the magazine the girl handed her with the hottest rock stars. "I wonder where they got the idea to dress like this." she mused.

"Oh I like totally don't know. But the big hair really is hot." Jessica said.

"All these guys in Whitesnake kind of look like him. Just not as interesting." she stared at the picture of the band and spoke out loud.

"Look like who? Oh my god Sarah you have to like tell me. Especially if you're like hiding a guy that looks like that." she pointed to the picture.

"No…I mean there's no one I'm thinking about. I'm not seeing anyone and I'm not interested in anyone here."

"Why on earth not? There are like a dozen hot guys that are like so into you and it's all because you like wont give any of them the time of day. There's someone you like isn't there?" Jessica said.

"No it's not like that."

"Nope you can't lie. Like I can like totally see it, oh my god that's why you're always so spaced out. Is he a senior?"

"No I'm not…" Sarah defended.

"You're thinking about someone. Tell me Sarah!" Jessica said wanting to hear the gossip.

"He's not a senior. I'm not really sure how old he is exactly. I met him…well a few times. I don't really know where he is or what he's doing."

"Oh an older man I see. That's a total gross out. You need to go out with Chad, He's majorly crushing on you and he's like a year older and like so boss. You should go out with him. I'll set it up. It'll get your mind off of your parents separation and whoever that other guy is."

"I guess I really should. Ok I'll do it, it wont hurt to go out just once."

"Great I'll like go and tell him you said yes." Jessica skipped away.

'He couldn't even ask me himself.' she thought.

When she got home she summoned Hoggle.

"What are ya up to Sarah?" Hoggle asked.

"I have a date tonight."

"Shhh you don't want him hearin' that."

"What does he care what I do." she put some lipstick on.

"He cares Sarah and that's your problem. I think you care too, more then you realize."

"I do not although I wish…"

"Be careful what ye wish."

"Well I wish I could contact him, like write him a letter or something." she said as a piece of parchment and a gold pen appeared in front of her. "Well now that's what I call customer service. I'm going to write to him so when he has time he can read it and reply if he feels like it and if he doesn't it'll be proof that he's done with me."

"If you say so. Just be careful what you say. He can be mighty sensitive about these things and I don't want to find myself suspended over the bog for the next hundred years."

"Hmmm now what should I say? I guess I'll start with the basics."

'To His Majesty The King of The Goblins,

I hope this letter isn't too late in coming and I hope it finds you well. I was thinking about things and I realized that I was the one who wished my brother away. I was the one responsible and you were only doing your job. I should really be thanking you for giving me a chance to get him back. I guess I was, well am still really young and I don't understand these things. It's ironic because Toby has been taken far away from me anyway. My parents have decided to call it quits. I don't understand why people get married in the first place if they don't plan on staying together. Anyway not to burden you with my problems, I'm sure you have enough of your own considering how much of a mess the goblin city is. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for blaming you for my mistake. I wont harbor any bad feelings about it if you won't. Have a good weekend.

Sincerely,

Sarah Williams'

"That should do it. Take this to the king, Hoggle. I feel better already. Oh that would be Chad at the door. I have to go." Sarah said handing the folded paper to Hoggle.

Sarah wasn't thrilled with her date. All he talked about all night was basketball. He was on the school team and it was his one and only interest. Sarah was glad to be out of the house and learning about someone new but in terms of dating this guy for real, she just wasn't feeling it.

"….huh?" she said coming out of a daydream.

"So which do you like better?"

"I don't know what was the question?" she said picking at the toppings on her pizza.

"This isn't a test. I was asking whether you preferred high school or college basketball."

"Oh well I don't really know. I mean I cant choose."

"I understand it's a really hard choice. I'm so glad you understand." Chad said. "I'm glad you finally stopped reading all of those crazy books and if you're careful you can be hip like me." he sat proudly.

"Crazy books?" she was offended.

"Yeah I kid you not, everyone thought you were strange, always keeping to yourself and wrapped up in those old books. Who does that? I'm glad you've grown up now so we can date."

"Yeah right um why don't we play some music on the juke box?" she said hopping the music would drown out his voice.

"Ok here's a quarter baby why don't you pick the songs." he slipped it to her and followed her to the juke box in the corner of the pizza parlor.

"Um thanks." she said shuffling through the pages not knowing what to chose. The first song she chose was You Give Love A Bad Name in Chad's honor.

"Bon Jovi cool…How Will I know… you like Whitney Houston? Well you're a girl and you would. Eh they still have We Are The World in there. That's so lame… You still have one more choice." he said looking over her shoulder at the songs.

"What's lame about people all over the world trying to get along?" she said looking at him funny.

"You know. Seriously why help those people? I wont give my money away, damn hippies."

"I hope you like Typical Male. I've always liked Tina Turner." she said thinking the song title was better at saying what she wanted to then starting an argument.

"So what kind of guy do you like Sarah? Your such a strange one. I bet you like the sporty type. What celebrity do you think is the hottest? The guys and I say Heather Locklear is the hottest girl ever."

"Um David Bowie I guess." she said.

"Ugh are you crazy? He's not even manly. I thought you'd pick someone like Bret Michaels. Every girl at school is talking about him."

"Bowie reminds me of someone and I think he's way hotter then Michaels."

"He's a total weirdo Sarah. I thought you changed from being the strange girl?" Chad said.

"It's getting late." Sarah wanted the evening to end.

"Oh yeah but your father wont be home tonight, will he?" Chad said hopefully.

"No, he's never home anymore." she said.

"Great then I'll take you home."

"What's so great about it?" she said then realized what he meant.

He drove her home and she did the best she could to drown out his incessant chattering. She wished he would just shut up. Somehow her house which was only a few miles from the pizza parlor, felt like it was half way across the world.

"Look just drop me here, you don't have to get out." she said getting out of the car but he followed her.

"Aw come on Sarah. We were having so much fun. I should at least walk you in, you never know someone might be lurking in the shadows of your house. I should take a look." Chad said scheming.

"Chad really you don't have to do that. I'm fine." she tried to get away from him.

"Come on Sarah let me come in with you." he said taking her by the arm.

"I think the lady said she was fine. Hello Sarah." a person emerged from the shadows.


	8. Chapter 9

I had to delete chapter 7 because somehow chapter 8 contained chapter 7 and 8. So if you read 7 and skipped 8 because it looked like a repeat, the second half has more story. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Part 9

"Look just drop me here, you don't have to get out." she said getting out of the car but he followed her.

"Aw come on Sarah. We were having so much fun. I should at least walk you in, you never know someone might be lurking in the shadows of your house. I should take a look." Chad said scheming.

"Chad really you don't have to do that. I'm fine." she tried to get away from him.

"Come on Sarah let me come in with you." he said taking her by the arm.

"I think the lady said she was fine. Hello Sarah." a person emerged from the shadows.

"Jeremy!" Sarah said surprised.

"It has been a long time hasn't it Sarah. We should catch up." Jeremy said following her into the house.

"How come he gets to go in with you." Chad said getting angry.

"Go home lad or you will not like what will be lurking in the shadows for you." Jeremy said with a smirk.

Sarah closed the door.

"What are you…" she stopped and watched him change from a clean cut human to a wild looking goblin king.

"That's better. Although I do look rather handsome as a human, don't you think?" Jareth said.

"You're him aren't you. You're the goblin king." she said staring at him pointing.

"Not this again. I thought we were passed this, my pet."

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Well you did wish you could contact me."

"Yes but I wished to write you a letter."

"Yes and no. It is good to be very specific when you make a wish. One might get the wrong idea. It's a good thing you wished for me too or I wouldn't have been able to attempt another visit until the solstice."

"So you've been Jeremy all of this time?"

"Well not all of this time. Only for a few hours here and there." he moved each hand in a different direction to make his point.

"But you were dating my mother." she said feeling strangely hurt.

"Only for that day. It was rather convincing wasn't it? I do tend to out do myself." he said being his normal egotistical self.

"But Jeremy…"

"No no love." he put his hand up in a stop motion. "You may call me Jareth, since we are such old friends."

"Jareth? This is so strange. I wasn't even sure if you were real or not."

"I can assure you I am very real my peach."

"So why are you here?"

"I read your letter and I was…touched." he feigned sincerity.

"Look it was just an apology and I doubt it made you warm and fuzzy enough to visit me. If this is about Toby he's not here and if this is about revenge well I don't care do it and get out." she said looking like she had completely given up.

"My my still a spitfire I see. So eager for me to set a goblin horde on you, are we?"

"Not that your army is much of a challenge but I just don't care anymore. After Chad, I'm officially sick of everyone, especially men." she said copying his cocky attitude.

"So young to be so jaded. It's unbecoming. I can see your innocence wanes. It was very polite of you to write me an apology and while we are on the subject of manners you have yet to offer tea to a visiting monarch. Such a lack of hospitality has started many a war."

"Fine come on into the kitchen." she said leading him in as he sat down at the table.

"I was sorry to hear about your parents and much sorrier to hear about your separation from young Tobias. I know how hard you worked to get him back from me. I was rather fond of the boy, If you do not like his current situation, you could always…"

"Oh no. I'm not wishing anyone away again." she said putting her hands up to stop him.

"Pity. He would be much happier with me." he said sipping his tea.

"I don't think he would be happy being a goblin."

"Did you think I was going to turn him into a goblin? Dear ,dear Sarah. I had no such plans for the boy. I hope the goblin thing did not influence your decision to get him back."

"No I couldn't leave him with you. It was wrong of me to wish him away. He has his own fate he has to live. I can't be intervening by making crazy wishes. And since you brought it up...why can I still have my wishes granted?"

"You read the book, you tell me." he said not making eye contact.

"Someone told me the princess in the story was real and it went a little differently then the story told….. I'm sorry."

"There was no happy ending. But the ending was also the beginning."

"How so?" she asked.

"Why the prophesy of course. It said that I would again find her a thousand years from her death. Something about a girl helping me regain my heart yada yada yada. I'm sorry to say at first I did not have any expectations of you completing the labyrinth. I was in a bit of off mood that day."

"Hoggle said you helped me."

"Oh no. You completed it on your own. Only the army would not have harmed you…on purpose anyway. I was quite bitter for many years and at first I really did want you to suffer for your selfish wish. I lacked a heart you know. It came back slowly and was quite the experience. …I knew you would make the wish, the goblins waited for years."

"Why were you waiting on me?"

"Her last wish was that I would know where to find her."

"Did you find her yet?" she asked cluelessly.

"Yes Sarah mine, I have." he gazed at her.

"You don't mean me?" she pointed to herself in shock.

"Yes I do. Did none of what you saw seem familiar?"

"I well yes it did. The ballroom especially. I know I was there before and when we first met, when you were Jeremy, I thought I knew you but I was just eleven and didn't think about it."

"We were there. I recreated the whole affair down to the detail so you would remember. I even erased your memory of your task. The masks, the walls, the people, their actions. Even the peach was the same ripeness."

"When we danced I thought I was there to see you and nothing else seemed to matter. Then the clock…" she gazed at the ceiling in thought.

"Ah yes the thirteenth hour. Just like the dream I gave you the first time, only I did not get to kiss you before you woke up."

"I think you have the wrong person, there's no way she was me. I don't remember being anyone else."

"Either you will or you won't. We will just have to create new memories in the mean time."

"What so you plan on sticking around?" she said not believing him with her arms crossed.

"Yes. The prophesy says I only have until you are seventeen to convince you to come back with me or I will have to wait another thousand years. I have already rushed time once to lessen the wait and I can not again without consequences. A thousand years is so long to make me wait, don't you think."

"I guess it is a long time. But I hardly know you. I can't just leave with you and a year really isn't all that much time to make such a big decision."

"The last time we had only met a few times and we were both very sure."

"That's insane. And I don't even remember that, so don't refer to me as we because I'm well… me, not she."

"And they say I speak in riddles. Now my dear Sarah all I ask is that you give me a chance, after all you can not hate me entirely if you wanted to speak with me." he said.

"Alright we can be friends… I guess. But don't try anything. I don't want to be stolen in the night."

"I can do no such thing, love, unless you wish me to. I need you willing."

"You do realize I'm only sixteen?" she said.

"Yes what should that matter to me? You're of age."

"The age of consent here is eighteen." she stated.

"Two years. It will not matter, where we are going."

"Don't be so certain that I'm going with you."

"We will just have to convince you wont we?" he smirked at the challenge.

"You had better leave. My father will be home soon." she got scared and tried to get him to leave.

"Sarah you and I both know he will not be home tonight and you do not have school tomorrow. Perhaps we should go somewhere. I doubt that little boy you were with gave you a satisfying evening." he looked like a grinning Cheshire cat.

"Well It wasn't that bad." she said with a fake smile.

"You do not lie very well."

"Ok but you have to promise not to talk about basketball."

"I don't even know what that is." he said.

"Good. But I'm under age still. People wont like the idea of us being together…even as friends. I mean what if my father finds out we were together at night? I guess I could say you were in a band or something." she fluttered her hands around at his attire.

"Just call me Jeremy tonight, love." he changed into a normal looking person.

"You do look normal…ish." she said noticing his pointy teeth.

"If anyone asks just say I'm an old friend who is in town for a while. No one will think anything of it, although you are right it is late. I doubt there would be anywhere proper to take you at this hour."

"We could go for a walk. To the lake in the park. It helps me clear my mind after a bad day."

"Yes I know. You always were so fond of water."

"None of that. I'm not her, you got that?"

"I understand, dearest." he said kissing her on the cheek.

"And none of that either. I only agreed to be friends with you and on a trial basis."

"I shall be good, I promise." he crossed his heart.

They both sat by the side of the lake enjoying the sounds of the night.

"Would you like to hear stories about the goblins? You used to love them every time we met."

"I don't know anymore. Goblins are a bit…well since the labyrinth."

"Hogshead is a goblin of the dwarf species."

"It's Hoggle. I wondered about that."

"Yes there are many types. He's one of the mid sized ones. No doubt the kind you are thinking of are the small rodent like ones. They are very much like children. The ones in the city are much more civilized and diverse then the ones you dealt with. I find one species is good for the army. Although they are very hard to control. It is all I can do with them."

"So what are you?"

"Well my father was half goblin. Of the taller more intelligent species and half fey. There are very few of either species left. My mother was fey. But goblin blood and magic are strong, especially when mixed."

"Does your father look like a goblin or a fey?" she asked.

"He looked very much like a goblin."

"But surly she didn't want to marry a goblin." she said looking curious.

"Mother was a kind woman who was able to see past his physical features. She was considered one of the most beautiful women of the aboveground. They were very happy together. They had only met once and they were both sure of their love. She was to marry someone else but father intervened, her former suitor did not let it go and pursued them. Things did not go well for him or his family. I may have mentioned my fathers less then good nature when it came to things that were his. It is a trait I have inherited. However you wont find me quite so malevolent."

"Where are your parents?"

"My father was injured by iron poisoning and became weakened. He was very old. Both of them decided it was time to pass. They had lived very long and decided to join the cycle once more."

"That…is that how it works?" she asked.

"That is the way of nature and it's creatures. Only we usually get to chose when to die, unlike humans."

"I shall die someday. I'll grow old too. Not like you."

"We all pass but if I chose a wife she would be bound to me for as long as I chose to live. It is always the will of the male fey how long the pair live, and the female, it doesn't matter what species, is bound to him by magic, as I am bound to you for eternity."

"What do you mean your bound to me for eternity?"

"It was in your last life, I was bound to you when I first saw you, only you never had the chance to bind yourself to me. So foolish you humans. It is my fault as well. I can be very bad at explaining things and you thought the same thing as you did last time that I only wanted your brother and you didn't understand what I was offering you. You're so consistently stubborn that way."

"I'm stubborn, you're the one whose been chasing after me for a thousand years." she said.

"And for good reason. We're two of a kind, you just don't realize it yet. I'll have some renovations done, remove a few dimensions, I have already made them clean it up. You will like living in my castle."

"You don't give up do you?" she said.

"I will pursue you for eternity if I have to." he said.

"That doesn't give me much of a choice." she said with a small laugh.

"Sure you have a choice. You can wish yourself to be my queen or you can wish yourself to be my wife."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Semantics." he said making her laugh.

"You really are incorrigible." she said.

"But you like me none the less. Admit it, you can not resist my charm."

"You're so full of yourself. But I guess I do like you. But don't get a big head about it."

"So you admit it." he said smiling.

"Too late…. How can two people be married for… well forever?"

"It's because your role models were wretched. I can assure you there is a love that can last beyond the stars. It's rare but it happens. Fey do not divorce or experience others after being bound, so there's nothing to concern yourself with."

"You're talking like I've already accepted you again."

"And again you act as if I will let you go if you said no."

"It's late." she said trying to hint.

"Yes it is." he stated.

"Um that's your cue to say oh well I kept you out late Sarah let me take you home." she said.

"I've lived a long time. I will not fall for the same tricks as that boy." he said.

"Just how old are you?" she asked.

"How old do I look?" he answered her question with a question.

"I don't know…. about thirty maybe thirty five."

"You think I look thirty five! I may have to bog you." he said looking upset.

"You didn't answer my question."

"If you must I'm not a day over twelve hundred."

"That's um…that's…wow. The things you must have seen."

"It has been less then eventful." looking like it was all boring.

"But that long surely you must have done everything." she said attentively.

"Well It's had it's moments but living with only goblins for so long can get on ones nerves."

"Where's everyone else?"

"Who?" he asked.

"Others like you?"

"They don't visit. Well they used to but there were some… mishaps with the goblins, they don't care for outsiders…. I am after all a goblin king. The villain who takes children. I'm not spoken about in polite company and the rest well most live far out in the woods or in their own kingdoms. Everyone hates goblins and my father's reputation did not mark him as the most benevolent king. So no one dares come near my kingdom."

"Why do you take children?" she asked.

"It is part of accepting the goblin magic. It's what they do. They take the children and I offer to give the child back for a price. Unless I do not like the wisher. If I keep the child, then it is up to my magic what the outcome is for the child if it is turned into a goblin or if it can be sent to live in the human village. Usually depending on the child's mental health. The magic has a mind of it's own in that respect."

"So you usually give the child back?"

"Yes if the parent wants the child enough, but the parent has quite the series of nightmares as a reminder to behave. Sometimes the child is from a bad home, those are the ones I do not give any chance to get back."

"I never thought that you…"

"That I might not be the villain everyone thinks I am?" he said.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to…" she felt bad.

"Everyone believes me to be an evil king and I am far from a saint. Living without a heart for so long, I never realized how I let my kingdom go. Although you never must have thought me to be such a villain before. When you were a child you wished to marry me many times."

"Huh? I guess I forgot about that." she said smiling at a memory.

"It is a strange request. Did you not care for prince charming?"

"No those guys never had any substance. They just sort of showed up in the story with no real purpose to help the damsel in distress, like she couldn't help herself. For once the girl in the story wasn't helpless and there was a powerful king who was a great adversary instead of a dragon fighting prince. The fairy tale just made more sense to me."

"As you can see I am no fairy tale."

"I can see that. I can see that." she said.

"My my it is nearly one. I should get you home."

"What did we forget the thirteenth hour?" she said sarcastically.

"It is our hour my dear, made only for you and it can be your hour forever."

After four hours of talking he walked her home at a leisurely pace. She had calmed in his presence since he had first arrived earlier in the evening.

"Time is dwindling my dear. So I will have to insist you see me next week, at your convenience of course."

"Fine you can drop by after my father leaves or before he gets home. If he comes home." she said bitterly.

"Then until Saturday." he left in a poof of glittering smoke.

When the next morning came she felt nervous. The time they had spent together the previous evening went easily but the thought of seeing him again made her feel strange. It was an odd feeling the same one she had in her stomach when they were in the oubliette together.


	9. Chapter 10

Part 10

The next day Sarah was talking to Jessica who was just annoying her to no end.

"Well Sarah are you going to the dance with Chad?" Jessica asked.

"No I don't think we're very compatible." Sarah said.

"Well you can't go alone and it's this Friday. I did my best to fix you up and you like totally mess it up. Every girl loves Chad. You couldn't have put out like just a little?' Jessica said."

"He just wasn't for me Jess, anyway I have math club." Sarah said getting up.

"God you're such a geek. You really need to quit that club."

"Bye Jess." Sarah said walking out of the room.

Sarah went into the classroom where the math club was held after school on Mondays. There were three other members, all geeky males who were the outcasts of the school.

"Hi Sarah, I didn't think you would come back." Steven the one with the glasses said.

"Yeah. Shouldn't you be hanging out with Jessica D. and the glam girls." Tom the one in the suspenders and nasal voice said.

"I do have other things to do besides shop and file my nails you know. So what are we going to talk about today?" she said.

"Well we were just discussing our dates for the dance." Joey the pudgy one said.

"Or lack there of." Steven said.

"I guess I can take my sister again." Tom said.

"I guess you're going with Chad." Joey rolled his eyes.

"No he wasn't exactly my cup of tea." Sarah said.

"So the jock isn't our Sarah's type?" Joey said surprised.

"Nope."

"Good then you're free to go with one of us." he said jokingly.

"As if she'd ever." Tom said.

"No wait that's a great idea. But which one of you should I go with?" she wondered.

"I guess we could draw straws."

"Why can't we all just go together? I wasn't planning on staying out late anyway. Dad's bringing Toby for the weekend. Steve you just solved the Rubik's cube!" she exclaimed.

"I really like puzzles they're easy to solve." Steve said.

"Where were you last year when I ran that labyrinth?" Sarah said under her breath.

"What?" Steve asked.

"Nothing." she said.

Tuesday Sarah was sitting in the park relaxing after school when a man who she didn't notice sitting under the same tree as her spoke.

"It is a lovely afternoon. Isn't it?" he said smoothly.

"Yes it is, I didn't see you there."

"I can be very quiet." he said.

"Is that a book about folklore?" she pointed to his book.

"Yes and it is a shame how they do get things wrong. Is it a subject that interests you?"

"You have no idea." she said.

"You can say I'm an expert." he said.

"Oh are you a college student?" she asked.

"I am a student of the world."

"Oh well I'm Sarah."

"Victor Greidawl." he said.

"Are you from England?"

"I'm Welsh."

"There are lots of great stories from there."

"Ah yes and none so famous as that of Gwynn ap Nudd the king of the goblins and how he stole the fiancé of his rival Gwythyr fab Greidawl. It is where my surname derives, it's rather popular in my country."

"Yeah didn't king Arthur make them fight every May Day for eternity because he was mad that neither could resolve the situation?" she asked.

"A fable for the changing of the seasons. But they did continue their rivalry."

"The goblin king was always triumphant." she said with a slight sense of pride.

"Almost always."

"Did he ever get his fiancé back?" she asked.

"No she remained with him despite her spurned lovers pleas."

"Oh that sounds sad. But the goblin king couldn't have taken her, she had to go willingly."

"She would never have gone willingly to the goblin king. No one would have, not to marry a goblin. She was abducted. She was the most beautiful girl in all of the human world she could not have loved such a creature." he became strangely angry.

"I don't know. It's um just a story."

"Of course. Say would you like to get some coffee across the street? We can discuss these tales further."

"Yeah sure." she said.

She went with him and they talked and he told her stories she hadn't heard before. It was strange to be in the company of such a strikingly handsome and intelligent man, human man. It made her consider things in her life and what she might give up if she decided to take Jareth's offer. Time was short but there were things she wanted to do here and the man only reminded her of that.

The dance….

"Don't look now but everyone's staring at us." Tom said.

"Girls don't usually have three dates." Sarah said.

"Not ones like us anyway." Joey said.

"Sarah what are you doing with these losers?" Jessica said.

"They're friends of mine and I don't think they're losers."

"God Sarah I give up. I like tried my like hardest to fix you." Jessica said.

"You know what Jessica, I don't need to be fixed. Come on guys." she said as they walked away from the girl in the frilly hot pink dress whose mouth was agape.

A little bit later in the evening Sarah spotted a familiar face and went over to greet her new friend.

"I didn't expect to see you here Victor." she greeted.

"I remembered You mention you had a dance and no one special to go with. You look lovely." Victor said.

"Thanks. I met my friends who didn't have dates either so we're all kind of sharing." she said.

"But you wouldn't deny me just one dance?" he said.

"I think that could be arranged." she said and they began a slow dance.

"My Sarah that is an interesting necklace. Wherever did you obtain such an item?" Victor said when he noticed Tom looking at the round object.

"Yeah Sarah where did you get that necklace from?" Tom said recognizing it from somewhere.

"It was a gift from a friend." she answered.

"It looks really old. About middle ages I'd say and so finely crafted. That's one good friend. It must have cost a fortune." Tom said.

"I never thought about it but I assume money wouldn't be an issue for him." she said.

"It's that crystal, still intact. I thought I saw something like it in a book in the library." Steve said. "I'm sure it just looks like it."

"Well let's go and have a look, since you're the expert on these things." Tom said and made the group all leave the dance to go to the school library.

Steve searched a few books in the folklore section.

"Found it! Let's see, yep here have a look at this." Steve said.

"Wow that kind of looks like Sarah and the necklace is the same." Joey said.

"Um well my friend is an expert on these stories so he probably had the same idea and had the necklace copied." Sarah said trying to look uninterested.

"I'm no expert of jewelry but it does look original." Victor said.

"It says here that there was a princess Cordelia somewhere in or near Wales. It is fabled that she met a foul little goblin king who gave her the necklace and asked her to be his queen, she refused him and he took it back after he killed her." Joey said.

"Well that's not accurate at all. Jar…I mean he would never kill her." Sarah said.

"What, do you know the story?" Joey asked.

"Um yeah I heard it before but it was different. An old fiction play, nothing more." she said.

"What's the title of the story?" Joey asked.

"Well it's sometimes called The Princess And The Goblin King but cover I have says Labyrinth. It's just an old forgotten fairy tale. Nothing interesting." she said.

"Didn't you used to carry that book to school every day?" Steve said.

"Hey here's another story about the goblin king. The princess Creiddylad was almost married to another guy a king called Gwythyr Fab Greidawl but the goblin king, Gwyn ap Nudd, abducted her and the two battle for her affection forever." Steve said.

"Victor is an expert in that area. We were just talking about it the other day." Sarah said.

"Yes and it seems Sarah is a bit of an expert herself on the goblin king." Victor said giving her a leer.

"Look this is silly and it's getting late. I really want to see my brother." she said deterring them from the book and it's subject.

"Sure Sarah." Steve said.

"If you permit me, I will see you home safely." Victor said as the two left.

"Something is going on with her. She was really defensive It's a strange coincidence." Tom said.

"Is it a coincidence? I've noticed some weird things happening when she's around. I caught her yelling at herself under a desk earlier and pulling a pencil like someone was tugging on the other end but no one was there." Joey said.

"You're not saying she sees goblins are you. That's absurd." Steve said.

"I don't know what I'm saying. I'm just saying it's odd is all. Isn't her middle name Cordelia?" Joey said.

"Yeah so?" Tom said.

"Cordelia is Latin for Creiddylad." Joey said.

"That means nothing." Tom said.

Victor and Sarah walked slowly to her house. He was full of interesting information and seemed very well traveled. There was an air of danger about him and it both scared and excited her. He seemed very familiar, like she had known him already.

"…wow I didn't know about that. I really hope I can go there one day."

"It's never too soon to get started living your dreams." he said.

"My dreams are kind of confused right now."

"How so?" Victor asked.

"Well I have this thing that I have to decide on, and not a lot of time to decide. It's very permanent." she said looking thoughtful.

"Permanent things are never good especially when they come with deadlines. I suggest you pass it up for something more mutable. You are still young and there will be plenty of time for permanence later. Besides nothing is forever, no matter what anyone says."

"I guess. Still it's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I would be disappointing someone I care about."

"I see a boyfriend." Victor said.

"Well sort of but not really."

"You have your whole life ahead of you for such things and besides I think I would like a chance as well. I'm sure I will prove more reliable and trustworthy then anyone you are used to seeing. How well do you know him?"

"Not all that well really but he says such things." she said.

"You should beware a man has words for anything. You should tread lightly."

"He's a lot older too but I can't stop thinking about him." she said.

"It would be beneficial if you were to see someone closer to your age. I would not object to being of service. Which is why I must ask that you permit me to see you again."

"I…sure." she said.

"Then farewell for now." he said kissing her on her hand making her blush and flustered.


	10. Chapter 11

11

When Saturday came, Jareth arrived in her living room nearly startling her to death. When he came she didn't know what to say to him. What kind of small talk does one make with a goblin king? The idea of a date just seemed too formal but she was glad he didn't set a time and just popped in early so she didn't have to feel nervous all day.

"So how was your week?" it seemed like a logical question for her to ask.

"Busy. I'm have projects going on throughout the city." he said.

"So you'll have it shining in no time." she said.

"It's a goblin city. There's only so much one can do… Toby so nice to see you little fellow. My have you grown." he said picking the boy up and Sarah made a small protective move but stopped herself.

"Dada Jar Gob'n" the boy muttered.

"He remembers me." Jareth smiled triumphantly.

"I'm glad you came in time for lunch. I'm taking Toby on a picnic in the park, you had better meet us there so no one sees you leave here." she said.

At the park…

"Where is your father?" Jareth asked as they sat under the tree she used to recite the book by when he used to watch her from the branch.

"He decided he didn't want to be home. Even with Toby here."

"I really am sorry to hear that Sarah. But the boy does look well. His mother seems to be taking good care of him."

"I was thinking about going to college in New York so I can be closer to him."

"We do have many scholars who can instruct you on any subject you wish."

"Oh right the seventeen thing. I um…"

"You have much to consider. I can make it so you see Toby."

"Let's not talk about that now. Besides there are things I still want to do here."

"I can make it so you can go and do whatever you wish. It will be restricted to the winter months but I will not keep you from your family and I think we both would enjoy some aboveground time together."

"I'm glad to know that. Oh Toby…here take him for a minute." she said handing Jareth the boy who just threw his sandwich at a passer by.

"Are you sure he doesn't belong in my kingdom?" he said as the boy sat on his lap laughing at what he had just done.

"No…I…" she said defensively then began to laugh and he followed.

"It's nice not having to command those around me to laugh. The goblins don't always understand what they are told." he said as they looked like the picturesque little family on a nice outing laughing and playing with their child. Suddenly their closeness became apparent and the laughing ceased as both locked eyes and he moved his face closer to hers. He was about to kiss her and she was about to let him when they were interrupted.

"Sarah. Oh we didn't mean to bother you." Tom said.

"Oh Tom, Steve it's nice to see you. This is Jareth the gob…um…Gobking. He's visiting from England. Why don't you guys join us there are extra sandwiches in the basket." she said motioning them to sit.

"This damn watch alarm sticks. There I think I've stopped it." Tom said fixing his digital watch.

"What a strange contraption. What is it's purpose?" Jareth asked and Sarah nudged him with her elbow.

"It's a watch,… you know it tells time? Don't they have digital watches in England yet?" Tom asked suspiciously.

"Oh dear there's Mrs. Epstein she's giving us a strange look I'll go over and try to deter her from making gossip. Toby should distract her from her gossip." she gave Jareth a you'd better behave look.

"You must be class mates of my Sarah." Jareth said.

"Yes were all in math club together." Steve said.

"She told me you took her to the ball the other evening. It was wise of you to behave properly, unlike that other chap. Chad was his name, I believe, well no matter." he said preditorilaly.

"She's a really good friend of ours. We wouldn't hurt her. We like her. Just how long have you known her and what are you planning with her?" Steve said, something about the man making him defensive and protective.

"Yes I know all about how much you both like Sarah. In fact I know quite a bit about you both. Take you for instance Steven, how you dream of being an astronaut and how badly you wanted to go to space camp but your dear father gambled all of your money away so you told everyone you were sick that summer because you were to ashamed to let anyone know you couldn't go." he said warning the boy off since he had seen Sarah in the boys dreams.

"How did you know that?" he asked astonished.

"And you Tom, well you really are disturbed, dreaming about your elder sister every night. My my so twisted. I hope I do not need to remind you of your innocent affiliation to my dearest Sarah." Jareth said.

"I…I…u…" Steve said.

"Oh that woman is so annoying. What's wrong with your guys?" Sarah said returning.

"We…we have to go Sarah. It's getting late." Tom said.

"Yeah late…" Steve said looking like he was about to run.

"Well ok I'll see you both on Monday." She turned to Jareth "What did you do to them?"

"Just a little warning, nothing really." he said with an I don't know look.

"Nothing really? They both left practically shaking." she said.

"I must have come on to strong. I can't help myself when I think about their dreams of you. Forgive me?"

"Don't you dare do anything to them." she said getting angry.

"I promise, as long as they keep their hands to themselves. Which I believe they will do."

"What exactly gives you the right to think you can keep me away from other men? Threatening me wont make me want you."

"I am aware. I did mention how territorial I can be, and when it comes to you, I'm afraid I can not resist. Forgive me?"

"Fine. Just try to be friendlier from now on. Humans do not like being threatened."

"Then do as you wish and I shall not interfere. I shall trust you to behave."

"I'm not sure that makes me feel better."

"If you are defiled by another, I can not take you."

"Right, I remember."

"You do not realize the severity. If you are touched by another, not only can you not return with me but the fates will deny me another chance in a thousand years. I shall never be able to see you again and that would be tragic."


	11. Chapter 12

Meanwhile…

"How did he know about that? I never told anyone about what happened with space camp. Dude your sister? That's sick." Tom said.

"It's not true. How did he know about what I was dreaming?"

"I've never seen anyone with so many pointy teeth."

"There's something not right about him. He didn't even know what a watch was."

"I still think the girl in the drawing in that book looked a lot like Sarah." Steve said.

"And what kind of name is Gobking? It's like she made it up on the spot."

"It sounds an awful lot like goblin king."

"That's a bit much."

" Did you see those pointy teeth? I've never seen that before and I should know my fathers a dentist. His eyes were different colors, you know how rare that is? We should have another look at that book. We'd better go to the main library."

"We better go find Joey and tell him about it."

Sarah's house…..

"I had a wonderful afternoon." she said

"Is your father expected home soon, it is getting late."

"I don't know if he's going to come home or not. I think he's been going to the bar after work and I'm pretty sure there's another woman involved. They think I couldn't hear what they were arguing about all that time."

"You really shouldn't be home alone with one so young. I think I shall stay until he comes back. I may not be able to see you for another week."

"I'm used to it but you might as well stay for dinner. That was a convincing disguise. No one would know your not human. Well except for the teeth."

"Tell me do you prefer the human me from earlier, or how I am now?"

"I think you should just be whichever you is the real you and I'll prefer that one." she said.

"I want you to be comfortable with my goblin blood. Most other fey would not mix blood. My grandparents and parents were the exception. I am one of a kind."

"Yes I'm sure I've never met anyone else like you in my life. I never thought there might be a prejudice."

"Fey are selfish vein creatures and goblins are possessive and greedy. I am no different. You will not find me to be like other human men."

"Selfish, greedy, vein, possessive you sound very human to me. But I still have a lot to learn about you. If I decide to go with you I know I will have to accept you as you are."

"There can be no other way. Besides you are human, our children will be quite unique."

"I guess they would be, but no talking about children. Not yet anyway."

"I understand in your time you are considered young for such things. When we marry, I will not force you to do anything you are not ready for. We have a very long time together, so there is no rush. I want you to be happy."

"Thanks…I…that does make me feel a bit better about the whole thing. I know the clock is ticking and I'll have to make a decision. It's a big decision that'll affect my whole life." she said.

"I do not mean to rush you. If I could give you more time I would. But that is one part of time I can not fix. As a human you must age, for now." he said.

Outside and across the street, some curious boys were hiding in the bushes in full camouflage gear holding binoculars.

"We have to save Sarah." Tom said after seeing the transformation through the window.

"I know from the folklore. See if we summon the summer king he'll fight the goblin king."

"The only problem with that is that it's said the goblin king won every time they fought."

"That could be a problem."

"And we don't really know if he's good or bad."

"Aren't goblins bad?"

"I guess."

"Then we have to summon him to save Sarah."

"Just how are we going to do that?"

"Research! To the library!"

"It's the middle of the night."

"You're good with puzzles, just pick the lock."

The next day Sarah was sitting under a tree in the park reading a book.

"Thought I would find you here." a male voice said.

"Victor well it's nice to see you." Sarah said.

"How are things?"

"Good, no complaints." she said.

"You seem far a way today. Is it the same problem you were telling me about the other day?"

"I'm not sure if it's really a problem anymore." she said.

"So you've made a decision? I hope you've decided to travel the world and live your dreams."

"Oh well I haven't decided which dream I want yet. I still have some time."

"Permit me to treat you to lunch." he held out his hand.

"Sure." she said.

"Wow Sarah!" Jessica greeted.

"Oh hey Jess, this is Victor."

"The guy you were like dancing with, how could I like forget such a hot guy. Now I understand why you like didn't want Chad. I knew you wouldn't go out with like those other losers. You're like such a kidder." she said trying to flirt. "You know Sarah wouldn't even put out for Chad. She's such a baby." Jessica said.

"Jess!" Sarah exclaimed.

"It's probably a good thing she didn't, I'm sure she would benefit from a more experienced man as opposed to a young boy. We must be going, come Sarah." Victor said. "She was quite the harpy."

"Yeah she's not exactly miss congeniality." Sarah said.

"I have an idea, let's go to the museum after lunch. There's a new exhibit I think you will enjoy."

"That sounds like a plan." she said as they walked.

Sometime later in a clearing in the park the three math club members decided to try their hand at witchcraft.

"Well do it already." Tom said.

"Do you really think this is going to work?" Joey said.

"I've seen a lot of strange things recently, besides it's in a book so it has to work." Steve said.

"Did you get everything?" Joey asked.

"Yep lets see spider web, slug, poison oak, daisy chain, ginger, a frog…yep it's all here." Tom said dumping out his bag.

"Throw it all in a pile." Joey said.

"Um..ahem… Oh great summer king who rules the summer." Steve said.

"It doesn't say that." Joey said.

"It does look anyway oh great summer king who rules the summer, we summon you to banish the darkness of winter. We summon you o great Gwythyr fab Greidawl to come and banish the goblin king Gwynn ap Nudd. Come! Come! Come! Take back the virgin that belonged to you and save her from her fate. Come! Come! Come! We offer you these items of summer." Steve said.

"Is that it?" Joey said.

"Yeah that's it." Steve said.

"So what do we do now?" Tom asked.

"I don't know. Nothings happening." Joey said.

"Well we can't just sit around and wait." Tom said.

"This was stupid, what were we thinking?" Joey said.


	12. Chapter 13

Back in another part of town, Sarah and Victor were enjoying one another's company and she didn't notice the time going by.

"I'm glad you decided to have dinner with me." he said

"I've had a pleasant day. You look… I don't know healthier all of a sudden."

"I'm feeling quite my full self at the moment. I've had three very important helpers help remove my shackles." he said.

"It really helps to be able to delegate responsibilities. There's always so much for me to do here and my father doesn't do much housework. Why don't you come in, there's no one home as usual." she said.

Outside three boys were watching her with the other man in her house. They were just as concerned with this one as they were with the other. He didn't look right either so they watched from the bushes.

"I um…I don't know." she said pulling away when he tried to kiss her.

"Sarah there's so much I could show you if only…"

"If only I sleep with you? I think you should leave." she said.

"I'm not going anywhere until I take what is rightfully mine."

"Get away from me I said no." she struggled as the boys broke into the house.

"Get away from her!" they yelled.

"Why? You were the one's who called me to take care of your goblin king problem."

"What is he talking about? You didn't !" Sarah said.

"Um Sarah we can explain." Joey said.

"We didn't like that guy at the park, then we saw some things and concluded, well then we did a spell to call his rival, like in the story so you wouldn't get stolen by the bad guy." Steve said.

"You have it wrong. He's not the bad guy, this guy is." Sarah said.

"I do not have time for this." Victor said blasting the three boys against the wall with his magic.

"I wish…" Sarah started.

"Oh no you don't… ouch!" he yelled when she bit him.

"I wish Jareth king of the goblins was here right now!" Sarah demanded.

"Unhand her." Jareth said with a flourished entrance.

"Not so soon. If you want her you'll have to come and get her." Victor said then disappeared with Sarah.

"What did you do?" Jareth asked angrily.

"We um…well we summoned the summer king to take her from you so she wouldn't have to be stolen by you." Joey said.

"I hope the three of you are proud of yourselves, you have doomed Sarah and you will pay dearly. But first I have this little problem of saving Sarah to attend."

"Wait we have to save her." Steve said.

"It's our fault." Tom said.

"Then come, we have to get to the summer palace before he defiles her There is no telling what will be waiting for us."

"Oh no." Steve said and they all disappeared.

…

The land where they appeared was lush and green with rolling hills. Mountains encircled the tiny kingdom. The castle was in the center of a large dark maze that looked as if it were made of shadow.

"We must get to the center and we must hurry. It is not too late to turn back. It will be perilous." Jareth said.

"Were coming." Steve said and the other two nodded.

"Very well. We have to find a way in." Jareth said.

"But it looks just like a shadow. So why can't we pass through the walls?" Joey asked.

"Nothing is ever as it seems in our worlds. They are not ruled by your logic but the subconscious." Jareth said.

"What's that?" Tom said scared.

"Something is taking form." Steve pointed out.

"Wow it's just like I pictured it would be." Joey said.

"What are you talking about?" Steve said.

"I traveled a lot as a child and I remembered some old towers. They were gateways to castle grounds. I just thought about it and it's there." Joey said.

"Well at least there's a door." Tom said.

"Proceed with extreme caution. Many unpleasant things leark in the mind and I have a feeling this labyrinth will prey on all of our deepest thoughts." Jareth said.

They walked into the stone tower. There was a large stained glass window with a picture of a saint kneeling. Some candles were lit in the corner. A sweet looking but sullen blonde girl in a large pink dress was standing in the corner praying.

"Oh it's so nice to have guests. I never have guests. Thank you for coming. Please rest here for a while." the girl said.

"We can not stay." Jareth said.

"Sorry miss we must leave." Joey said.

"But so soon? You only just arrived." she asked.

"We really must go." Joey insisted.

"I insist that you stay." she said.

"Do you know how to get to the center of the maze?" Tom asked.

"Why would I want to go there? Even if you manage to get there in an eon or so, you'll never get out. Everything here is lucid. Even I'm not sure if I'm real." she said.

"You look real enough to me." Steve said.

"Well real enough to stop you from passing through. Now do rest." she said.

"But we must pass." Joey whined.

"Then you must solve a riddle." she said.

"What kind of riddle?"

"The fun kind. You see I have three orbs. The red the blue and the green. The right one holds the key, the sad one leads to me, the wrong hand enslaves thee. I must warn you the penalty for choosing wrong is death." she said.

"The right one holds the key, the sad one leads to me, the wrong hand enslaves thee what do you think steve?" Joey asked his friend.

Steve stepped up to where the three floating orbs were. "I have the answer." he said.

"You had better be correct." Jareth said.

"Make your choice then." she said.

"Wait we should talk about this." joey said trying to stop him as Steve reached for the red orb.

"Oh no!" Joey said as the orb tuned into a key.

"Good choice."

"How did you know?"

"She said it herself the red one holds the key. The blue one, blue meaning sad leads to her, her sadness and the green one is on the left people have always considered the left hand to be wrong and carry's a stigma thus the enslavement to a right handed world." Steve said.

"We haven't time to talk we must continue on." Jareth said.

"Bye bye now. Do drop in if you find your way out." the woman waved as the group passed through the same door they came through.

"Wait isn't this how we came in?" Joey asked.

"I thought…." Tom opened the door they had passed through and only saw black abyss.

"It's just a box. Were in a box!" Tom yelled.

"Calm yourself. Things are never what they seem. We just have to figure out which direction to go and which door to chose. Which would you chose?" Jareth said.

"We could go left or right or if I turn this way left or right, left is right. I'm confused." Tom said.

"You're forgetting up or down." Jareth said.

"What where's the logic in that. We can't go up or down."

"It may be time to think outside the box." Jareth said.

"Ha ha geez." Joey said.

"No wait he's right." Tom said.

"Not you too." Joey said.

"Were inside a cube right? That means we have six possible ways to go. All sides are equal so there's no right or wrong way to go. No matter which way we go it will all be the same. We just have to chose a door and go." Tom said.

"No your wrong. This isn't a cube. Well it is an it isn't." Steve said.

"Then what is it?" Joey asked.

"A Tesseract you know a hyper cube. " Steve said.

"That's impossible. If that were true it would mean we were in…" Tom said.

"The fourth dimension." Steve said.

"We have to study this." Tom said.

"There's no time for such a useless endeavor. It is only the fourth dimension. Why is this such a concern?" Jareth asked looking annoyed.

"But if we're three D and this is four D then how the heck do we know which way to go?" Joey asked.

"I'm certain it doesn't matter which way we go. Every direction is identical. Just try a door." Steve said.

"He is correct it does not. Now let us continue." Jareth said opening the door in front of them.

The door opened to a bright garden. Which was very out of place. Large flowers of every color surrounded the place.

"Be on guard." Jareth said.


	13. Chapter 14 & 15

Here's the last chapter. It's long but can't really be broken up. The ending has been done in a way so I can continue the story if ever get inspired to add another adventure. But I have to finish it for now. It's been done for a few weeks so I wont hold back. Enjoy.

...

The door opened to a bright garden. Which was very out of place. Large flowers of every color surrounded the place. It gave a sense of ill ease as the plants themselves looked as if they had come from a foreign planet. The colors were bright and un-natural, not unlike the endless colors of silk flowers found in arrangement stores. The sky here seemed different as well. No one bothered to notice a crescent sun.

"Be on guard." Jareth said without much effort as he knew no one would listen.

"Look at the huge flowers." Joey said mezemerized by a large blue spotted tulip like flower.

"You don't want to get that close." Jareth said.

"Why not? AHHHHHHH!" Joey yelled as the large flower swallowed him, his legs dangling and kicking from outside of the flowers mouth.

"Grab his legs." Steve said and he and Tom pulled him out of the flowers mouth.

"Oh my god it just ate me! It just ate me! The flower just ate me!" Joey yelled in a panic.

"This could be a good place to leave the three of you." Jareth said.

"You can't leave us with killer flowers!" Tom said.

"We still have to save Sarah." Joey said.

"If you still wish to press on, then let us continue. Do not delay me any longer by being eaten or I will leave you here as fertilizer for this lovely garden." Jareth said.

"Where do we go from here?" Tom asked.

"There, that door in the corner." Joey said.

They passed through the next door and found that the walls were all straight and looked like they went to the center without obsticle.

"It doesn't look that far away but we have to get to the center faster." Steve said and the three boys ran ahead in a huge rush.

"Come on let's hurry, this way." Tom said starting to run faster then anyone else. "Hey! Help!" Tom stepped right into quicksand.

"HELP!" Steve said falling in after.

"NO Help!" Joey yelled falling in after Steve.

Jareth was sitting on a tree branch looking amused.

"Help us!" Tom yelled.

"I should leave you there for putting Sarah in such a predicament." Jeareth said.

"Please help us!" Steve said.

"There's little I can do. I suggest you hold your breath." Jareth said as the boys started going under.

Tom was first to fall out of the sky and Jareth used his magic to place the boy on solid ground. The other two followed him.

"What was that! How did that just happen?" Steve asked.

"Well there was no way for me to get you out of there until you fell through. Look closely it's just a large hour glass." Jareth said.

"But how is the bottom in the sky?" Steve asked.

"Silly boy what goes down must come up and what goes up must come down. Where did you expect to end up when you are already down?" Jareth said confusing the boy.

"That makes no sense." Steve said.

"Is it supposed to?" Jareth asked.

"Hey look apples." Tom said.

"I must forbid you to eat anything whilst you are here." Jareth said.

"Why can't we? It's just an apple." Joey said.

"Isn't it obvious? Don't they teach history in your school? If you eat food from a different world you are forever bound to it. Didn't they teach you about what happened to Persephonie and how Hades trapped her? It was quite clever really. He's always been upset she only ate six seeds. But it is beneficial to you humans that she returns mid year." Jareth looking like it was the most obvious common knowledge thing.

"What! That's impossible. It's just a myth." Joey said.

"So am I." Jareth said.

"Oh right." he replied.

"If multiple worlds exist, we have to figure out how to deal with a world that doesn't adhere to the laws we're used to." Joey said.

"So anything goes." Tom said.

"Anything one can imagine." Jareth said.

"Wiat so does this world exist or not?" Steve asked.

"Where doe's your imagination go when your done imagining?" Jareth asked.

"Well it just... goes." Steve said looking confused.

"You see this world is the imagination, the subconscious of the creator. You have altered it with your own views. Did the trials you have faced so far not seem familiar?" Jareth asked.

"It makes sense now." Joey said.

"I saw that movie about the quicksand last week. I had two nightmares about it already." Tom said.

"Geez so that one was your fault." Joey said.

"The hypercube was my fault then. My paper for honors math was about the fourth dimension." Steve said.

"Then I dreamed up the tower." Joey said. "But that doesn't explain the man eating flowers."

"I thought it would be amusing." Jareth said.

"I thought you were on our side." Tom said.

"I never said that. My only interst is in the female. She is after all my promised." Jareth said.

"We're not going to let you take her." Joey said protectively.

"It is entirely up to her. But for now we have a shadow castle to enter." Jareth said.

In the castle Sarah was taking her captivity very less then cordially. She threw anything she could at her captor, but it was pointless as the items only passed through him. They were after all made of shadow matter.

"Why did you take me? Let me go now!" she demanded.

"I'm not the goblin king. You can't order me around little one." Victor said.

"What is all this about?"

"Isn't it obvious? In a way I'm saving you. You wouldn't want to be stolen by the goblin king. You wouldn't want to have to mate with such a creature." Victor stated.

"What are you talking about. What I do or don't do with him is none of your concern." she said.

"Oh but it is my dear. You see a long time ago the last goblin king stole a woman more radiant then the sun from me. We were bethrowed and about to marry. He stormed the chappel reducing it to ash and killed all of my men then took her to his kingdom. I tired everything to get her back. It was impossible. She was mine! And he stole her."

"That's not true. She loved him and went with him on her own. You need to realize that she didn't love you or she would have returned to you." she yelled.

"Don't say that!" he slapped her. "You know nothing! She loved me, I know she did. No one would mate with such a creature. Has his cursed son convinced you he's human? He's something abnormal. Blood of blasphemous creatures runs through his veins. I'm stopping you from making the wrong decision. I'm going to save you and get revenge. My blood line was wiped out by the last goblin king and I'm going to make his suffer for it." Victor said.

Just as Victor was preparing to tie Sarah up, the door to the castle blew open with a large bang scatterting things about the room.

"Give her back and I may let you live." Jareth said strolling in casually.

"You're finally here. Did you have fun? It wasn't much of a diverson but it bought me the hour I needed to prepare." Victor said.

"Jareth it's a trap run!" Sarah yelled.

"Enough out of you." Victor said waving his hand that released a lever on the wall releasing sharp objects that flew across the room.

"Iron really? Is that the best you can do? It's no wonder Mum left you." Jareth said after ducking around the shooting shards or iron.

"A little was all that was needed to kill your father." Victor said maliciously.

"His time was already up. He was quite ancient." Jareth said.

"I killed him!" Victor demanded.

"No you injured him a bit. But considering his age and health, he had already decided to pass. Sorry to take your victory from you but he had already chosen the date of passing before your little iron poisioning. I would have been here sooner as well, although I had some baggage that needed a lesson or two. I also required a bit of time to test and let my magic get used to this world. It's a good exercise for when one visits others, so many worlds to see you know and I am adapting faster each time. These three were most useful and they amused me for a bit. I knew Sarah would be quite safe until I arrived." Jareth said.

"Hey so we didn't have to go through all of that?" Joey said.

"Children, I think it best that you stay back. Before was for my amusement but I can not guarantee your safety from here." Jareth said.

"Enough of this. I'm going to turn fate and separate the two of you forever." Victor said.

"Hand her over now." Jareth said.

"Oh no, all I have to do is incapacitate you for a few minutes. I want you to watch as I defile her. I want you to watch as you lose her forever." Victor said.

"Talk talk talk. I tire of this game." Jareth said.

"A game! You think this is a game!" Victor yelled.

"It's always a game." Jareth said.

"I don't play games!" Victor said.

"Really I would have guessed differently. Although you really don't try very hard. The object is to win." Jareth said.

"I won't let you stop me, not again. I wont lose to one of you again." Victor said.

"I'll never understand you humans... Don't you have a female to defile? You might as well get on with it." Jareth said.

"You ass!" Sarah yelled.

"Don't pretend like you do not care for her. But you're right I shouldn't wait any longer to deny you your bride for eternity." Victor said then pulled Sarah to him and placed his lips on hers.

A strange glow came from the orb on her necklace "What is this?" Victor yelled stepping back releasing Sarah. She looked just as puzzled.

Rays of light began to penetrate through him and he cursed everyone as he disappeared into a small ball then out of existence. Sarah had fallen to the floor in amazement.

"What was that?" Joey asked.

"That was impossible!" Steve said.

"What happened to him?" Tom asked.

"A simple spell. The necklace was made for your protection." Jareth said.

"How did you know he was coming after me?" Sarah asked as Jareth helped her up.

"Well I didn't really. It was originally warn by your earlier incarnation to ward off spirits. I thought you might need extra protection from humans as well. So I added a spell or two before I sent it to you. As soon as you were kissed on those lovely lips he was locked in a very unpleasant dimension." Jareth said.

"So he was human?" she asked.

"An imortal human, somewhat, cursed well it's confusing and I don't feel like explaining." Jareth said.

"Wait a minute… that would have happened to any human I kissed?" she asked.

"A bit of insurance. I told you I'm not the nicest when it comes to protecting what's mine." Jareth said.

"You are terrible!" she said as the ground began to rumble under them.

"You can yell at me later. I'm afraid this reality is collapsing. Shall I take these three with us? They did trade you to him." Jareth said.

"It was a mistake." Tom said.

"Were sorry." Steve said.

"Let's just all get out of here." she said.

"Make a wish." Jareth said.

"I wish the five of us were back at my house, right now!" she yelled as the walls began to fall.

The group appeared in Sarah's living room. The boys were overly dramatic and began kissing the ground and walls and yelling thank you.

"We're really sorry Sarah, we didn't mean for him to kidnap you. We didn't know. We thought he…" Joey said.

"You thought Jareth was the bad guy. The three of you should know better then anyone else that apearances can be deceiving, although the mistake is understandable. I don't see him winning any awards for sainthood." Sarah said.

"Really pet, you wound me." Jareth said sarcastically placing his hand on his heart.

"I think we better go." Tom said.

"See you at school Sarah." Steve said looking regretfully behind him as he walked out of the front door.

"Now let's see, the adventure is over so I believe the princess owes her savior a kiss." Jareth said.

"So this thing doesn't ward off goblin kings?" she asked.

"Why on earth would I want to protect you from myself?" he asked her looking confused.

"Something tells me I definitely need protecting from you. Are you sure this thing won't make you burst into another dimension?" she asked holding the orb up.

"Kiss me and find out." he said.

"You don't give up do you?" she said smiling.

"Never." he said taking her in his arms and kissing her. She gladly kissed him back. "Have you made a decision yet?"

"I want to finish the school year." she said.

"You know when we're finally together you'll wonder why you didn't wish yourself to me sooner." he said.

"I just really need this time." she said.

"I understand. It won't make it any easier waiting." he said.

"I didn't say you had to go and wait in your castle until I'm ready."

"So you wish to see me again soon?" a crooked smile crept onto his face.

"I think a few more dates are warrented before I run off and spend eternity with you." she said sensibly.

"Until Saturday then?" he looked hopeful.

"I wish it." she stated.

"If you need anything in the mean time…"

"I'll call." she said.

"Perhaps we should just have a quick romp upstairs." he said moving back toward her.

"Go home Jareth." she said angrily.

"Good night, love." he disappeared in a puff of smoke and glitter.

"Good night Jareth." she said smiling at his exit.


End file.
